“However, merely $2 million of the expenses are covered by international entities,” IRNA quoted Ahmad Mohammadifar, the ministry’s director general for foreign nationals and immigrants affairs as saying.
International bodies are still covering some of the expenses pertaining to refugees and immigrants living in Iran, however, the international funding is limited, Mohammadifar lamented.
Currently, some 420,000 foreign students are studying in Iran, the official said, adding that education expenditure per foreign student amounts to 20 million rials ($500) annually.
Foreign nationals are treated fairly
There are some 1.5 million foreign nationals living in Iran who either have full citizenship or limited-validity passports (Amayesh); they are being provided with full services, he pointed.
Additionally, there are some one to 1.5 million undocumented foreign nationals who required registration, Mohammadi far added.
Mohammadifar further underlined that the Interior Ministry has undertaken painstaking efforts for documentation of these foreign nationals.
The rumors about deporting some of the foreign nationals are not true; some 600,000 of foreign nationals would like to return to their homelands willingly every year, he explained.
Even those illegal immigrants will not be jailed and solely deported to their countries, he highlighted, adding, “We are also discussing the possibility of issuing limited-validity passports for three years rather than one year.”
Undocumented children can be enrolled in schools and educational institutions in accordance with the decree issued by the Supreme Leader and the foreign nationals are being provided with health care services in Iran, he added.
Add new comment