TEHRAN – A top Iranian Foreign Ministry official said on Saturday that a “commitment to international obligations” in rebuilding Afghanistan will encourage the Afghan refugees to return to their country.

“A timely implementation of international obligations for rebuilding Afghanistan is a determining factor in this regard,” Mohammad Ali Hossein, the deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, told UNHCR High Commissioner Antonio Guterres.
Hosseini said Iran has been hosting hundreds of thousands of Afghan and Iraqi refugees for about three decades despite all social, security and economic burdens on the Iranian society.
All this has been out of Iran’s commitment to international obligations and a humanitarian view toward the sufferings of refugees, Hosseini added.
The Iranian official said settlement of Afghan and Iraqi refuges necessitates a serious effort by the international community.
He said while all members of the international community are responsible for refugee crisis, Iran as the host country is handling all refugee affairs which is “unjust”.
Hosseini called for an effective policy in order to actively involve other countries in bearing the costs to handle refugees.
“Our most important expectation from the UNHCR is to mobilize international assistance to prepare the ground to encourage refugees to return” to their homes, he insisted.
He also said other countries’ contributions should not just be limited to a little financial support, suggesting that countries with considerable potential should host a large number of refugees under a resettlement program.
Guterres, for his part, called Iran one of its most important partners in the world and said the international community should be made aware of Iran’s generous hosting of so many refugees for three decades.
He also called for a promotion of cooperation between Iran and the UNHCR.
The best solution to the refugee crisis is a return of displaced people to their countries and the UN body is using its efforts to realize this goal, he added.
Guterres said the UNHCR tries to convince the international community to live up to their commitment toward refugees