Iran underlines international cooperation to address immigration crisis
First Counselor of the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations Ali Hajilari said on Friday, "Since the beginning of the eight-year imposed war, Iran has faced many hostilities, including coercive unilateral measures and sanctions, and this is while Millions of refugees have been accepted as illegal immigrants."
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In a statement, Iran's diplomat stressed the need to enhance international cooperation in the field of immigration.
The full text of this statement is as follows:
During this meeting, we have heard beautiful remarks made by distinguished representatives of countries and more nice statements that are yet to come.
The fact that I saw noticed some countries that have not experienced any war, sanctions, or conflicts, complain about the presence of a few thousands of displaced persons, refugees, and migrants forced me to tell you a little bit about the situation in Iran as the host of more than 4 million refugees and migrants population.
All of you know that my country has suffered from a devastating 8-year imposed war. Many of you were not born in those days or were little children like me and the very countries that are raising concern over the negative impacts of wars and conflicts on migratory flows were silent or even helped the aggressor directly or indirectly.
Iran has also suffered and still is suffering from different hostilities including illegal unilateral coercive measures and sanctions for more than 4 decades and at the same time is hosting more than 4 million refugees, migrants, displaced persons as well as illegal and undocumented aliens.
We heard from different delegations about the negative impacts of wars and conflicts on the refugee crisis and migratory flows. We fully understand because we have been experiencing the same for more than 4 decades in the absence of international support and under grave situations caused by war and unilateral measures, economic blockade, and illegal unilateral sanctions. Two days ago in Tehran, the UN special rapporteur on the negative impacts of UCMs on human rights, during her visit to my country has reiterated that there are half a million Afghan children living in Iran and even UN agencies cannot fulfill their commitments toward these vulnerable people due to illegal unilateral measures and sanctions.
My country has generously hosted millions of refugees, displaced persons, migrants, and aliens, documented or undocumented, in the absence of international support and simultaneous with the harshest unilateral sanctions ever imposed on a country.
With the recent challenge and situations in Afghanistan, we are facing a new wave of displaced persons. But it seems that some of the countries, addicted to the double-standard approach, which is not a new experience to Iran, have forgotten this reality and turned a blind eye to that.
Having said that, I would like to remind you that as responsible members of the International community, you are accountable for taking effective capacity-building measures and sharing this heavy burden left on the shoulders of my country. If Iran has not hosted this huge population, you certainly faced with them within your borders and wouldn't know what to do with them.
So the least you can do even for them is to try effectively to eliminate UCMs and illegal sanctions on a country generously hosting millions of refugees, migrants, and displaced persons for more than 4 decades and providing them - irrespective of their legal status-with the same services provided for its own citizens.
