Title: Iran’s Marriage Loan Initiative Sees Record Uptake, Drives Policy Optimization
Tehran – In a significant push to support social welfare and family formation, over 332,000 Iranian citizens have received marriage loans, totaling more than 1,112 trillion Rials, according to a recent report. The Central Bank of Iran announced that, as of early October 2025, the distribution of these interest-free facilities has not only met 101% of its daily quota but has also registered an 11% growth compared to the same period last year.
Six Major Banks Shoulder the Bulk of Payouts
An analysis of the first six months of the current Iranian year reveals a concentrated effort, with approximately 75% of all marriage loan payouts being managed by just six major national banks. These leading financial institutions have collectively allocated over 737 trillion Rials from their interest-free resources to this vital social program.
The following table details the contributions and pending applications for these key banks:
| Bank Name | Loans Disbursed | Applicants in Queue |
|---|---|---|
| Bank Mellat | 56,126 | 83,273 |
| Bank Melli Iran | 53,047 | 102,715 |
| Bank Saderat | 37,420 | 72,339 |
| Bank Tejarat | 26,145 | 52,706 |
| Bank Sepah | 30,831 | 45,320 |
| Bank Refah | 16,211 | 43,484 |
Despite their substantial disbursements, these six banks still face a collective queue of over 541,000 applicants awaiting processing.
Addressing Systemic Pressures for Greater Efficiency
Banking experts have highlighted that the high concentration of applications on a limited number of banks has led to operational challenges, including the depletion of financial resources in these institutions, lengthening wait times, and a reduction in inter-bank competition. This situation has impacted the overall efficiency of the payment system.
Proposed Solutions for a Streamlined Process
To address these challenges and optimize the system, several strategic solutions have been proposed. These are designed to enhance service delivery and ensure the sustainability of the program:
- Smart Quota Allocation: Directing applicants to banks with lower existing workloads could significantly ease the pressure on the major institutions.
- Centralized Registration System: The creation of a unified national platform that suggests a destination bank to applicants based on real-time capacity and queue length would streamline the entire loan process.
The implementation of these measures is expected to create a more balanced and efficient framework for distributing marriage loans, ultimately improving citizen satisfaction and supporting the national social development goals underpinning this initiative.
