Alireza Rejaei in an interview with the site of Strategic Council of Foreign Relations referred to the efforts made by the people of Afghanistan to leave their country and take refuge in other countries through different ways and means. He said:” Neighboring countries of Afghanistan have responsibilities against these asylum seekers and should host them according to their potentials. Iran will also host them according to her own potentials.

Having said that for sure the people of Afghanistan will remember the gesture, and we can’t ignore the difficulties and violence that is happening in that country. He continued:” International community especially 36 countries that were mentioned by the Taliban and were the reason of destroying Afghanistan within the past 20 years such as the U.S., Europe, NATO, and the United Nations should bear the costs of hospitality and accommodation of a number of the asylum seekers in Iran. Otherwise, they should provide and facilitate necessary conditions for their transfer and accommodation into their own countries.

Engineered Selection of Afghan Asylum Seekers by the Western Countries

Having pointed out to some of the Western countries’ policies, particularly the U.S., in connection with the exit of some of Afghan nationals from their country, the analyst of Afghanistan said:” we are regretfully witnessing measures from these countries with no benevolent aims. In fact, through selecting asylum seekers, they are engineering their transfer and some of such refugees will be recruited in groups that will be linked to terrorist organizations. The presence of the U.S. (and or its proxy presence) in Afghanistan was practically coupled with encouragement of terrorism which was not in line with providing security.

Having stated that the Americans have taken hostage the people’s security, Rejaei said:” It has been unprecedented that governments publicize terrorist attack to intimidate. But now we witness that the U.S. President Joe Biden is officially announcing that terrorist attacks in Afghanistan will be increased and he encouraged people to flee from the country. In fact, they are terrorizing and intimidating in that country.

Role & Responsibility of Countries & International Organizations   

Rejaei added:” the people of Afghanistan should not be seen as a commodity. Other countries should host them in proportion within their might. In line with this, international organizations such as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have important responsibility and role to play, because this is not definitely a regional but a global crisis, whose consequences will be extended to all countries particularly the European ones.

Former Director of the Logistics Headquarter of Afghanistan at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Iran is now hosting as much as three million Afghan asylum seekers and it is expected that more refugees will be added to the present figure. He pointed out to the concentration of Afghan nationals in front of some European embassies to get their visa and take refuge there and added:” Unfortunately, we witness intimidating attitudes against such applicants. The international community should accept that even if they don’t want to host them, they should at least pay the share to the difficulties they were responsible to occur. They should also stop avarices and proxy wars. The U.S. declares that they left Afghanistan while they have still kept their proxy position there.

Former Director of the Logistics Headquarter of Afghanistan at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spelled out:” Americans have so far evacuated as much as 105000 persons from Afghanistan. In addition, they have evacuated and transferred another 120000 persons including elites, reporters, dignitaries, university professors and businessmen from the country.

Influx of Asylum Seekers towards Iran             

He said that European countries claim that they have evacuated more than 30000 asylum seekers, but it seems unlikely that such a large number could have been transferred within this short period. He further explained that we are witnessing the influx of asylum seekers towards Iran, and unfortunately some of these dear neighbors have entered unauthorized into our country, and some of them have been injured. A part of them have fled to Turkey but Turks repatriated them. Thus, they have taken refuge from the Islamic Republic of Iran again.

Having criticized the measure taken by Turkey to construct a wall along her border with Iran to prevent entering Afghan asylum seekers into their territory, he said:” Afghan society is hard-working, painstaking, and serving. Unfortunately, the Western countries have dispersed the very same people amid some organizations supervised by them and thus organize the violence.

Influx of Daily 30000 Afghan Nationals to Iran         

Rejaei stressed that the burden of the influx should not be borne by Iran alone. Other countries and international organizations should participate in this regards. We witness the influx of daily 30000 Afghan nationals to our country. Their problems will impose an extra burden upon the boycotted economy of Iran. According to official statistics more than three millions and based on unofficial statistics more than six millions have entered Iran. However, one should ask why we are temporizing to attract Afghan elites and let them be attracted by Turkey, India or UAE and other countries!

He referred to the problems caused by the spike of Corona in Iran and the consequences of the influx of Afghan asylum seekers on the exacerbation of the pandemic while the West widespread sanctions against Iran are still applied. He added:” countries and international bodies should put their full weight behind Iran in this respect. Indeed, Iran’s hospitality will make asylum seekers not to proceed and lead their way to other regions and European countries. Therefore, they should bear the costs of hospitality and accommodation of Afghan asylum seekers in Iran.

Former Director of the Logistics Headquarter of Afghanistan at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed:” their health and treatment as well as the security concerns emanated from the influx of such a large number of asylum seekers should be brought to the attention of these countries and organizations.

Rejaei noted in the meantime that Afghans are noble people and they should not be made the scapegoat.