Iran Calls for Fairer International Burden-Sharing for Refugees

DID Press: Iran has called for sustained international financial support and a fairer sharing of responsibility for hosting refugees during a meeting between Iranian officials and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

According to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, Nader Yarahmadi, an adviser to Iran’s interior minister and head of the country’s Center for Foreign Nationals and Immigrants Affairs, made the appeal during a meeting in Geneva with UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih.

Yarahmadi said Iran hosts approximately 770,000 refugees and provides them with a range of health insurance and medical services. However, he warned that reduced health insurance coverage for vulnerable refugees and declining international assistance were making it increasingly difficult to maintain these services.

He also cited the issuance of residency documents to approximately 110,000 female heads of household and the provision of temporary support to nearly 10,000 members of Afghanistan’s former government forces. He stressed the importance of empowering refugees and preserving their right to make their own choices.

Yarahmadi added that sustainable refugee returns to their countries of origin would require appropriate conditions, regional cooperation and adequate financial resources.

Salih thanked Iran for hosting refugees over several decades and for its cooperation with UNHCR. He emphasized the importance of continued engagement with Afghanistan and regional countries, saying that withdrawing from dialogue and cooperation would not resolve existing challenges.

The UN refugee chief also expressed hope that he would visit Iran in the near future to continue discussions with Iranian officials on refugee issues and regional cooperation.