Tehran, Iran – Iran's legal system allows for the marriage of girls as young as eight years old, provided there is parental permission and judicial approval, a practice that continues to draw significant international scrutiny. Social media commentator Drew Pavlou highlighted this aspect of Iranian law, stating in a recent tweet, > "Iran allows adult men to marry girls as young as 8 years old if they have 'parental permission.'"
Under Article 1041 of Iran's Civil Code, the legal minimum age for marriage is 13 for girls and 15 for boys. However, a significant loophole permits marriage for girls under 13—specifically those who have reached 9 lunar years (approximately 8 years and 9 months)—with the consent of their father or male guardian and the approval of a competent court. This provision effectively legalizes child marriage, facilitating unions for minors who are far below internationally recognized ages for marriage.
Official statistics reveal the widespread nature of this practice. Between 2021 and 2022, at least 27,448 registered marriages involved girls under the age of 15. Reports from the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran also indicated that over 40,000 girls under 15 were married between 2012 and 2013, with a substantial number marrying men at least a decade older. Poverty, cultural traditions, and religious interpretations are often cited as underlying factors contributing to child marriage in the country.
This legal framework stands in stark contrast to international human rights standards. Iran is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which defines a child as anyone under 18. However, Iran ratified the CRC with reservations, stating that its provisions must be compatible with Islamic Sharia law, and has not ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Human rights organizations, including the Center for Human Rights in Iran, consistently criticize these laws as a form of "gender apartheid" and a violation of children's rights.
Efforts to reform these laws have faced significant resistance. A 2018 motion in the Iranian Parliament to raise the marriage age to 16 for girls was dismissed for "contradicting with Islamic jurisdiction, current laws and social norms." The persistence of child marriage leads to severe consequences for girls, including mental health issues, lack of education, and increased vulnerability to domestic violence, with some cases tragically ending in death.
