Iran's demographic developments in recent decades are characterized by three simultaneous trends: fertility decline below the replacement level, a drop in population growth rates, and an increase in the volume and proportion of the elderly population. The continuation of these trends, alongside shrinking entries into the labor workforce and rising exits, places mounting pressure on pension funds, the health system, and welfare policies, highlighting the imperative of socio-economic planning to manage aging and maintain the balance of the age structure. In this framework, the general population policies and the "Family Support and Youthful Population" law have been enacted to reduce barriers to childbearing; however, their implementation faces institutional challenges and divergent interpretations of the meaning of demographic policy—whether restricted to increasing births or broadly encompassing population quality enhancement. International evidence indicates that the impact of financial and economic incentives on boosting fertility is often limited, short-term, and primarily reflective of a shift in the timing of births; conversely, public childcare services and women-friendly employment policies exert a more sustainable and effective influence. Furthermore, regional disparities in the demographic transition reinforce the necessity of implementing policies with a localized and ethnic-sensitive approach. Strategic conclusions emphasize the design of a comprehensive policy package, continuous monitoring of policy effectiveness, stability and continuity of measures, and the strengthening of formal and informal family support to prevent the deepening of the demographic crisis.