Iran's supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei urges Iranians to have more children

Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, called on Iranians to have more children on Tuesday, arguing that population growth would secure the country's future as a major power. The message, posted on X and carried by state broadcaster IRIB , was addressed to pronatalist activists. Khamenei has not appeared in public since the U.S.-Israeli strikes of February 28 that killed his father and predecessor.

Why is Iran's supreme leader calling for more babies?

Khamenei urged population growth as a path to strategic power, telling activists that "the great Iranian nation will be able to play a major role and experience strategic leaps in the future" by pursuing the correct population policy. His message frames childbearing as a national and civilizational priority, not merely a demographic one.

What is Iran's current population and fertility rate?

Iran has a population of around 92 million, ranking it 17th in the world, but smaller than neighboring Pakistan and regional rival Egypt. Its fertility rate has fallen sharply, from 6.5 in 1979, the year of the Islamic Revolution, to just 1.7 in 2024, according to World Bank figures. In 2020, an Iranian health official said state hospitals and clinics had stopped providing vasectomies or distributing contraceptives to encourage population growth.

Who is Mojtaba Khamenei and why has he not been seen in public?

Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, was named Iran's supreme leader in March 2026 following the death of his father, Ali Khamenei, on the first day of the US-Israeli war. He was reportedly wounded in the bombardment that killed his father and has not appeared in public since. Several written messages have been attributed to him in the weeks since, including Tuesday's letter on population growth.

What did Iran's supreme leader say about building an Islamic-Iranian civilization?

In the longer version of his remarks carried by IRIB, Khamenei told activists he hoped their efforts would "lead to fruitful results, God willing." He said Iranians must promote a "culture of childbearing" to take long strides toward building what he described as a new Islamic-Iranian civilization. He framed population growth as central to Iran maintaining its regional leadership role.

What is Iran's position in the ongoing war and peace negotiations?

Despite damage from U.S. and Israeli strikes and the deaths of senior figures, Tehran says it is emerging from the conflict in a stronger position. Iran has exchanged peace proposals with Washington but continues to demand sanctions relief, control of the Strait of Hormuz, and the right to enrich nuclear fuel. The population message comes as negotiations remain unresolved and the ceasefire holds under pressure.