AHVAZ -- Director of immigration affairs in the Interior Ministry, Hosseini said here, " Iran has the highest refugee rates in the world", adding that there is 2.500 million immigrants including 2300 Afghans, 200 thousand Iraqi, and about 5000 refugee from Pakistan and Bangladesh are living in Iran. Referring to the supported planning on repatriating Afghan migrants, he added, " More than 255 thousands of Afghans have been repatriated to their country thus far." "Iran's share of repatriating refugees determined by the United Nations is 400 thousand people, while increasing the share to 600 thousand people is what we call on."

Hosseini went on to say that there are 200 thousand Afghans living in Iran, without legal residential permits. More than 18 thousands of illegal Afghan refugees have been returned to Afghanistan. Regarding to the Iranians' spontaneous repatriation, residing at Iraq, he added, " Based on negotiations made by two sides (Iran & Iraq) repatriating 6000 refugees has been authorized and up to now 800 thousand of Iranians repatriated to Iran from Iraq."

He concluded by saying that $596 is spent annually for each refugee while the international aides to Iran is only $5, so international societies' aides are needed in this regard.