Title: Iran’s Yasna Plan: New Phase of Nutritional Support for Mothers and Infants Set for December
Introduction
A new phase of the Yasna Plan, a key government support initiative, is scheduled to begin in December 2025. The program is designed to provide targeted financial and commodity-based assistance to pregnant women and nursing mothers from lower-income households, with the primary goal of strengthening infant nutrition during the critical first two years of life.
Program Details and Eligibility
The Yasna Plan for Mothers is a multi-stage support mechanism. Payments are fixed per stage and are allocated to eligible families identified through the Iranian Welfare Information Database. The program specifically targets households within the first to fifth income deciles.
Eligibility extends to two key groups:
- Pregnant Mothers: Their status is verified through integrated systems managed by the Ministry of Health.
- Nursing Mothers: Eligibility requires having a child under the age of 24 months.
No new registration is required for families already within the state’s support system, as data is cross-referenced automatically. Once verified, funds are deposited into the bank account of the family’s head.
Payment Structure and Commodity Coupons
The designated payment for the upcoming phase is 700,000 Tomans per child under two. Officials have indicated that this amount is subject to periodic review and potential adjustment based on government budgetary allocations.
Payments will be disbursed in stages to ensure accurate targeting and efficient resource allocation. Alongside cash deposits, the program includes a commodity coupon component. These coupons are intended for the purchase of essential nutritional items such as infant formula, dairy products, and protein-rich foods, ensuring support is directly translated into food security.
A Focus on Long-Term Child Health
The Yasna Plan is framed as a strategic investment in the nation’s future. By focusing on the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, the initiative aims to mitigate the long-term consequences of nutritional deficiencies. This support helps families secure the necessary nutrients for their children’s healthy development, contributing to broader public health objectives.
Implementation and Public Reception
The rollout process, starting in December, involves a systematic sequence: income decile verification, status confirmation of the mother or child, final approval by the Ministry of Health, account designation, and the phased disbursement of funds.
The announcement of the new payments has been met with a positive response from eligible families, who view it as a crucial step in safeguarding child nutrition. Many have emphasized that the program’s success hinges on its consistent, timely, and error-free implementation.