In a message to the National Population Headquarters, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned about the dangers of a declining birth rate. 

In the brief message, Khamenei thanked officials at the headquarters for working to rescue the country “from the terrifying future of an aging population.” Khamenei said that increasing the birth rate, having a younger population, and supporting families is “one of the most important duties of government officials.”

Khamenei said that the policies to increase the population “are vital for the country long term.” In addition to the their current plans, Khamenei stressed the importance of cultural endeavors to encourage population growth. 

Iran’s current birth rates is below replacement level. According to the Statistical Center of Iran, the fertility rate is currently at 1.71 children per woman for the previous fiscal year. The replacement rate for a stable population is considered to be 2.1. In 2018, the fertility rate was 2.07. For perspective, in the 1980s the fertility rate was over 6. A declining birth rate can cause various problems for a country, specifically a shrinking workforce that must care for a larger, older population. The consequences can lead to smaller per capita income and have a dire economic impact.