In an opinion piece published by Jomhouri-e Eslami newspaper, Selahvarzi wrote that over 6.7 million foreign nationals, mainly Afghan migrants, already cost the Iranian public nearly $18 billion annually.
He compared this figure to Afghanistan’s total GDP, which stands at $17 billion, and criticized the disparity between these costs and Iran’s limited $83 million budget for underdeveloped provinces.
Selahvarzi cautioned that the new migration body could normalize permanent residence and ownership rights for foreign nationals, straining public services and intensifying unemployment.
He rejected claims that migrants benefit the labor market, arguing they crowd out local workers from low-skill jobs.
The bill, he warned, may even disrupt national unity by altering demographics and heightening social tensions.
He urged the Iranian Parliament speaker to halt the proposal, advocating for transparent, expert-led policymaking.
Selahvarzi clarified that this critique is not rooted in xenophobia, but in a call for rational resource management amid Iran’s deepening economic crisis.
