Iran’s parliament approved the outlines of a marriage bill on Tuesday after taking out a controversial pro-polygamy amendment that had been endorsed by President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad’s government.

The “family support bill”, which will be the first comprehensive law to cover different marriage- and divorced-related issues, was drafted by Iran’s judiciary. But the government had made some changes, including effectively encouraging polygamy by removing curbs on the practice provided that the man had the financial means to support a new wife.