The story: The Iranian parliament has voted to increase the retirement age. The move has been strongly criticized by both the media and the public. Lawmakers insist that details of the plan have been misrepresented. Meanwhile, the labor minister has argued that the measure will help “stabilize” the crisis-hit retirement funds in the country. Though passed by the parliament, the plan needs to be vetted by the Guardian Council before becoming law.

The coverage: Iranian lawmakers on Nov. 19 voted to increase the age of retirement as part of their review of the 7th Five-Year Development Plan—a document that in theory must guide annual budgets and development policies through 2028.

• Representing the government during the vote, Mohsen Najafikhah defended the move due to “decreased fertility” and “increased life expectancy.” He added that increasing the retirement age can help...