Iran has changed a law to make divorce by mutual consent invalid unless couples have first undergone state-run counselling, the country's latest move to tackle a rise in broken marriages. The measures, reported by media at the weekend, are contained in a new family law that a top official said would be implemented by Iran's judiciary.
"A decree of divorce by mutual consent, without counselling, is forbidden," Parnian Ghavam, head of the judiciary's social work and counselling office, was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency.
All Iranians filing for divorce would be obliged to go to a counsellor, she said. "From now on, without this it will not be possible to register divorces of mutual consent." Iran's average divorce rate peaked at 21 percent last year, with big cities showing far higher rates.