Tehran pursuing diplomacy to prevent war, says spokesperson
Iran is working to keep the threat of war away from its borders through diplomatic engagement, government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said on Saturday, according to state media.
Iran is working to keep the threat of war away from its borders through diplomatic engagement, government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said on Saturday, according to state media.
“Keeping war away from the country is one of the government’s key goals, and we are pursuing it through diplomacy,” she said in her weekly briefing. Mohajerani added that while improving living standards remains a major concern, Iran cannot suspend broader progress under international pressure and years of sanctions.
Her comments come amid shifting regional dynamics following a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that ended two years of conflict in Gaza. The agreement, backed by Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, includes the release of hostages and prisoners and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from parts of Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this week he had resisted pressure to halt the war earlier, arguing Israel’s security depended on “eliminating the nuclear and ballistic threat from Iran” and “breaking the Iranian axis, of which Hamas is a central part.”
US President Donald Trump said Iranian authorities had recently expressed support for the Gaza deal and a willingness to “work on peace,” though Washington has maintained sanctions and tensions remain high following US and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites in June.
Democratic Senator Cory Booker, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told Iran International that Iran and its regional allies remained “the main obstacle to peace,” accusing Tehran of backing groups that threaten the new truce.
Iran, however, has said it supports any agreement that ends what it calls Israel’s “genocidal war” and ensures Palestinian rights, while continuing to urge what it describes as a regional solution based on “mutual respect and diplomacy.”
“Marriage and having children must be considered part of a person’s résumé,” Amirhossein Bankipour, a member of parliament from Isfahan, said on Saturday, according to state media. “A woman who marries should receive more points, and a woman who gives birth should gain even more, because she is helping prevent a population crisis.”
Bankipour’s remarks come amid a government push to raise fertility under the 2021 Youthful Population and Family Support Act, which restricts access to abortions and contraceptives while providing loans, subsidies, and tax breaks for couples. The law aims to lift the fertility rate to 2.5 children per woman, but official data show it remains at about 1.6, far below the target.
Despite the incentives, as Iran’s economy has sharply deteriorated, marriage and raising children have become harder for many families. Inflation has eroded purchasing power, and basic expenses such as food, rent, and education have soared.
Health impact of restrictive population laws
While the government has linked population growth to national strength, its policies have also created new social pressures. The Shargh daily reported in September that restrictions on prenatal screening and abortion have doubled the rate of Down syndrome births, from 1.2% to 2.9% since the law took effect. Legal procedures for pregnancy termination now require both medical and judicial approval, even in cases of confirmed fetal abnormalities.
Public health experts have warned that the tightening of reproductive laws, coupled with deepening economic hardship, has fueled a growing underground abortion market and worsened inequality. At the same time, official figures show Iran spends only 2.9 percent of GDP on education, compared to the global average of 4.4 percent, contributing to what commentators describe as a widening social gap between poor and wealthy families.
Lawmaker defends incentives despite limited results
Bankipour said parliament has sought to address the economic dimension by increasing marriage loans and expanding housing programs for young couples. However, years of inflation and declining real wages have limited their impact.
He said the new proposal would help redirect social incentives toward family building. “Until now, degrees and job skills have determined status,” he said. “We need to tell the younger generation that forming a family and raising children are themselves national achievements that deserve recognition.”
