Mohammad Sharifi Moghaddam says the real figure is way higher as many people find other ways to emigrate than traveling to other countries to work as a nurse.
Sharifi Moghaddam also says nurses are concerned about the statistics on emigration published by Khaneh Parastar.
He says many are telling them not to announce the figures arguing that this hampers their migration process as some authorities introduce measures that make it more difficult for nurses to migrate or for job centers to find employment for them.
Iran has one of the largest population of expatriates abroad and the difficult economic conditions are making things worse, triggering what local officials have for years warned is a brain drain from the country.
