An Iranian shidduch system? Iran creates official matchmakers to increase marriage

Iran has officially licensed 205 matchmaking websites to help increase the declining marriage rate among younger people, according to Iran International.

Alireza Rahimi, Iranian Deputy Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, said that the government considers itself accountable for any issues caused by the websites. He also noted that an expert group will be monitoring the effectiveness of the websites in actually increasing marriage rates.

Rahimi did say the sites caused some problems, without specifying what problems, and added that the government is working to clamp down on the problem of unlicensed matchmaking sites.

Iran is not immune from the global phenomenon of declining marriage rates and birth rates. Its birth rate decline significantly from 1980 to 2000 and has steadily dropped ever since. The rate now stands at 1.7, below replacement rate.

Iran has been trying to increase the marriage rate in the country, which is closely linked to birthrates globally, though so far without much success.

According to Iran's Civil Registration Organization, nearly 39% of marriages from March to September 2024 ended in divorce, a rate comparable to the United States. Data from the Statistical Center of Iran also reveals a 46% decrease in marriages between 2010 and 2023.

Iran International said that "economic hardship, rising awareness of individual and family rights, and access to legal and counseling services" were among the factors influencing when and whether Iranians marry.

Iran has also removed material discouraging childbearing from its curriculum and offered "married student dorms, on-campus kindergartens, and increased financial aid for housing, loans, and other benefits for married students with children" to try and increase marriage and childbearing.

Newsweek reported that Iranian Deputy Health Minister Alireza Raisi said: "If we subtract the annual death rate from the birth rate, our population grows by only 580,000 people annually. At the current birth rate, mortality will soon exceed births. I believe population rejuvenation must be among the country's top priorities. We have communicated this as the top priority to medical universities across the country."