Iranian Reformists clash with hard-liners in drive to restrict child marriage
A parliamentary bill to restrict child marriage is pitting hard-liners against Reformists in Iran.
A group of Iranian lawmakers is seeking caps on child marriage in the country, a drive that seems to have little chance of success due to fierce opposition from hard-liners.
"It all dates back to 44 years ago," wrote hard-line daily Kayhan in a Nov. 26 editorial, "when US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger placed the [National Security Study Memorandum 200] on President Richard Nixon's desk. … The document addressed the threat of human development in America's rival countries and how population growth could boost them." The editorial then accused the Iranian members of parliament who are pushing for restrictions on child marriages of having the document as their role model.
