Hossein Koolivand added Iran has been hosting Afghans for decades and that currently there are 5 million Afghan refugees in the country.
He noted that even Afghans who are in Iran illegally have been vaccinated against the Coronavirus and enjoy all healthcare.
Koolivand described Iran’s hosting of Afghans as a success, saying the Islamic Republic serves as a role-model for other countries in this regard.
He noted that Iran’s Red Crescent is responsible for such humanitarian relief operations but despite that, the organization is facing oppressive sanctions imposed by the US.
He said that the sanctions have hampered Iran’s relief work such as purchasing medicines from other countries because the country faces difficulty paying for the products it buys due to the bans that target the Iranian banks.
Koolivand noted that the sanctions on Iran’s Red Crescent will go down in history as a huge oppression. He however said the organization has made great achievements in spite of the US sanctions including the imports of 120 million doses of Covid vaccine and production of masks inside the country.
Iran has repeatedly complained about lack of international assistance in dealing with the high number of Afghan refugees in the country.
The UN and EU have thanked the Islamic Republic for its generosity in accepting the Afghans displaced by decades of war and the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan but they have yet to provide tangible aid to help Iran host the displaced.
