Referring to the high costs that Iran has paid for hosting more than five million Afghan nationals in the last four decades, Alireza Mahmoudi the Director-General of the Foreign Ministry for Consular Affairs reemphasized the inattention of international institutions and the double standards of the Western governments over the issue of Afghan immigrants who live in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Mahmoudi made the remarks in a meeting with the Director-General of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) Michael Spindelegger in the Austrian capital of Vienna on Monday evening.
Iran’s hosting of five million Afghan people inflicted a huge burden on the economy of the country, he said and stressed the serious determination of the Islamic Republic of Iran and senior officials of the country in looking into the pertinent affairs of Afghan immigrants especially in the healthcare and training sectors.
The Iranian official lashed out at the inattention of the international institutions and exertion of the double standards of the Western governments regarding the Afghan immigrants.
The Director-General of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), for his part, stressed the need for developing cooperation with Iran and paying due attention to the significant position of Iran in handling the situation of migration.
Michael Spindelegger called for the development of joint cooperation and talks with the Islamic Republic of Iran.
During the meeting, the two sides agreed to continue the talks regarding the multifaceted issue of immigration.
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