TEHRAN – Iran’s permanent ambassador to the United Nations has warned of a fresh influx of Afghan refugees into the Islamic Republic, calling for immediate international action to address the problem.
“The humanitarian situation is highly alarming. As winter approaches, the people are facing an imminent humanitarian crisis. This makes the provision of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan more urgent,” Majid Takht-Ravanchi told a UN General Assembly session in New York on Thursday.
For over four decades, he said, Iran as hosted millions of Afghans and generously helped them particularly during the pandemic and under severe economic situations resulting from unlawful U.S. sanctions.
Since mid-August, thousands of Afghans have entered Iran on a daily basis, he said.
“If the humanitarian situation is not addressed urgently and properly, hundreds of thousands more Afghans are estimated to enter Iran in the coming winter,” he warned.
“To date, we have done whatever in our power to help Afghans entering Iran, including through provision of basic needs.
“Additionally, we have also dispatched many humanitarian convoys to Afghanistan.
“However, due to unlawful and inhumane U.S. sanctions and in the absence of sufficient new financial resources, we will be unable to help them on our own anymore,” the ambassador said.
Takht-Ravanchi said as a neighboring country, and based on common historic, cultural, linguistic, and religious bonds between our two nations, Iran cannot remain indifferent to the plight of the People of Afghanistan.
“Let’s be straightforward. This is not a local challenge and Afghanistan’s neighboring must not be left alone and expected to address this extremely difficult challenge single-handedly.”
The ambassador called on the international community and in particular donor countries to live up to their responsibilities and extend new and adequate financial resources to Afghanistan’s neighbors to help Afghan refugees and displaced persons.
“The timely provision of humanitarian assistance, and the release of Afghanistan’s frozen assets, which is essential for reviving Afghan’s economy and saving people’s lives, should in no way be politicized or conditional,” he said.
“Parallel efforts must also be made to avoid a total collapse of the Afghan economy,” he added.
Such urgent efforts, the ambassador said, must not deflect our attention and efforts from the need to counter terrorism and drug trafficking in Afghanistan.
The recent terrorist attacks in Afghanistan, including the ones in Kabul today, are of grave concern and alarming, Takht-Ravanchi said, adding they indicate how essential addressing these threats have become for the regional and international peace and security.
“They also exhibit, once more, the brutalities of terrorists. Therefore, there should be zero tolerance toward terrorism and its financers, organizers, and supporters in Afghanistan,” he said.
“It must be ensured that the territory of Afghanistan must never be used for terrorist activities, utilized as a safe haven for terrorist groups or a source for the production of, and trafficking in, drugs.”
The ambassador also called for the establishment of “a truly inclusive and representative government, with the participation of all ethnic and religious groups, committed to combating terrorism and organized crime and guaranteeing and protecting, based on true Islamic teachings and principles, the human rights of all Afghans including ethnic, linguistic, and religious minorities and women, is vital for building a secure, stable, and prosperous Afghanistan”.
“To this end, Iran will continue its engagement with all parties in Afghanistan, including the Taliban,” he said.
“Iran will continue to assist the people of Afghanistan and to work with Afghanistan’s neighbors and other partners to ensure a durable peace and sustainable development in Afghanistan.”