UNHCR Praises Iran For Supporting Foreign Refugees

Tehran, June 24, IRNA - Head of the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) Sub Office in Kerman Giusepppe Di Caro praised Iranˈs performance in hosting foreign refugees, especially Afghans. ˈI, as the representative of the UNHCR, praise the generosity and kindheartedness of the countries (such as Iran) that are hosting the refugees and present services to these people who have been forced to leave their homeland,ˈ he said, addressing a ceremony marking the International Refugee Day in the southeastern city of Kerman on Monday. Iran has been a generous host for more than 2 million Afghan refugees for two decades, with little help from the international community. Tehran has called on the international community to strengthen support for Iran for hosting the Afghan refugees and provide repatriation support for the refugees. Voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees from Iran has slowed down in recent years in the face of poor security and economic conditions in Afghanistan, which Tehran blames on the US-led invasion of the country in 2001. UNHCR first opened an office in Iran in 1984 and expanded its presence with the massive influx of Iraqi refugees following the Persian Gulf War in 1991 and the start of Afghansˈ mass return movement to Afghanistan in 1992. Today UNHCR has its central office representation in Tehran, plus three sub offices in Mashhad, Kerman and Ahvaz./end