The Iranian parliament passed a bill on Tuesday that enables women to have abortions in limited cases, AFP reported.
The bill was opposed by some members of parliament and still needs to be approved by the Council of Guardians, which screens legislation to ensure it is in accord with Islamic law and the Constitution.
The legislation aims to prevent women from resolving to illegal and dangerous abortions, sometimes resulting in the mother’s death.
The legislation said an abortion will be allowed within the first four months of pregnancy if the fetus is mentally or physically handicapped, inflicting a financial burden on the family, or if the mother’s life is in danger.
Until now, Iranian women seeking an abortion could only do so legally by proving that the pregnancy endangered their lives, or otherwise undergo a dangerous illegal abortion. If caught, the person carrying out the abortion, as well as the woman, faced a jail sentence between three and ten years and had to pay a fine.