Bayan News – The Ministry of Interior of the Islamic Republic of Iran has asked the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to allocate more funds for the accommodation of Afghan refugees.
Nader Yarrahmadi, head of the Bureau for Aliens and Foreign Immigrants Affairs at the ministry, stated during the Executive Committee meeting of the UNHCR in Geneva: “The mismatch between the UNHCR’s budget and the needs and costs related to refugees in Iran has caused many problems.”
Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, also attended this meeting.
The Iranian official told the UN High Commissioner that the resettlement of vulnerable refugees in third countries is a priority for Iran.
He added that despite the UNHCR’s commitment to increase coverage for vulnerable refugees in 2021, the agency’s support for refugees in Iran has decreased.
Yarrahmadi emphasized that the agency’s support for vulnerable refugees and those covered by insurance has decreased from 120,000 to 95,000 people over the past three years.
Yarrahmadi stated that free education for Afghan nationals in Iran has placed significant pressure on the country’s educational system.
He stressed: “It is essential that UNHCR allocates a budget to cover the educational costs of Afghan nationals, including the construction of new schools, renovation and equipping of existing schools, and funding for teachers.”
This request comes after the Islamic Republic intensified the forced deportation of Afghan migrants in recent months.
Among those deported are individuals who held legal documents and residency status from the Iranian government, yet were still expelled.
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