Tehran - Iran’s Parliamentary Commission has approved a government bill that grants Iranian nationality to the children born to Iranian mother, foreign father.  ‘The children of the marriages can become Iranian upon request,’ said Hassan Nowruzi, a spokesman for the Legal and Judicial Affairs Commission of the Iranian Parliament (Majlis). The bill has been studied and passed in the Commission in presence of some government, police and judiciary officials and lawmakers, added Nowruzi. ‘The children of Iranian woman marrying a foreign man, when under 18 years old, can acquire the Iranian nationality if the mother requests so,’ explained the lawmaker.

‘And if there is no request by the mother, the children, when getting over 18 years old, can apply for the (Iranian) nationality,’ he said, adding that the applicants should be clear of any criminal record.

The bill’s approval should be regarded as the first step towards it’s approval into law after comprehensive parliamentary debate. However, no time frame has yet been set for it.