Iran Attaches Great Significance to Afghanistan’s Development: Spokesman
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Spokesman for the Iranian Administration Mohammad Baqer Nobakht on Tuesday underlined Iran’s positive view of Afghanistan, and emphasized that the neighboring country’s progress is significant to Tehran.
“The growth and development of Afghanistan is important to us, too,” Nobakht said in a press conference here in Tehran.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has always had a positive view towards its neighbor,” he added.
He further referred to certain reports of insults to Afghan immigrants in Iran, and stressed that Afghan refugees are brothers and sisters of Iranian people, and no one is allowed to insult these guests.
“These people have certain rights, and even though they might not be considered as citizens, the rights of these dear people should be observed,” Nobakht added, apologizing for certain insults to Afghan immigrants.
Iran has hosted Afghan refugees since the late 1970s following the occupation of their country by the Soviet Union troops. Although many of those refugees have returned to their country voluntarily, there are still hundreds of thousands of documented and undocumented Afghans in Iran.
Based on an order by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, the Iranian government provides all Afghan children with the opportunity to receive education.
Ayatollah Khamenei has issued an order stressing that all Afghan children, even children of the undocumented migrants living in the country illegally, have the right to register and study in Iran's schools.
Back in May 2014, UN resident coordinator in Iran Garry Lewis appreciated the measures adopted by the Islamic Republic in hosting foreign nationals, saying Iran is the world's second biggest country accepting foreign refugees.
"Iran has very well hosted the refugees over the past three decades," he said, adding that preceded by Pakistan, Iran is the second country in the world that accepts the highest number of refugees.
