UNHCR lauds Iran for supporting refugees

A United Nations refugee agency official has praised Iran for bending over backwards to improve living conditions for millions of refugees during the past four decades and especially after the Taliban takeover in neighboring Afghanistan last year which triggered an influx of refugees.

Visiting an exhibition on Sunday that showcased the achievements by Afghan refugees and asylum seekers in Iran, the head of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Iran’s northeastern city of Mashhad, Maha Kashour, commended Iran for its supportive role.

The event was held to mark World Refugee Day.

The UN official said, “Iran has provided decent healthcare, livelihood and vocational technical training services to Afghan refugees and we hope it will keep moving in this path.”

Almost three million Afghans, who have fled insecurity, war and violence in their homeland, are living in Iran.

Iran has been hosting the refugees and has assisted them with various services for several decades.

After a decree by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in 2015, Iran passed a law allowing all Afghan children, regardless of their refugee status to attend schools free of charge.

Meanwhile, Hossein Ahmadi, deputy director general of Foreign Immigrants Office in Khorasan Razavi Province, neighboring Afghanistan, clarified that Iran, as opposed to other countries, facilitates establishment of institutions by Afghan refugees to improve their conditions.

He urged the new arrivals from Afghanistan to get registered at entry points so that the Islamic Republic can provide them with better services.

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