Over 1m Foreign Nationals Live in Iran Illegally

October 16, 2000 - 0:0
TEHRAN -- Deputy for the Information Department of the Law Enforcement Forces Sadroleslam told IRNA Saturday more than one million foreign nationals are now living in Iran unlawfully.
The Iranian Law Enforcement Forces have arrested more than 18,000 foreign nationals who live in Iran without legal authorization, within the past six months, Sadroleslam said adding that more than 27,000 foreigners have been repatriated from Iran within the same period.
Grounds for the violation of the legal laws and regulations in Iran, punishments not in proportion with the offenses committed, lack of due coordination among the organizations related to the foreign nationals in Iran, availability of the suitable job opportunities in the country, ailing economies of the neighbor countries, flaws in the Iranian legislation are among the factors responsible for the high number of the illegal immigrants in Iran, the official said.
Warning against the dangers of the illegal immigrants and foreign nationals in Iran, he said the proper settlement of the problems hinges on the proper implementation of the plan developed to deal with the issues related of foreign nationals in the country.
He went on to say that the illegal dwellers in Iran have tendencies to commit offenses such as the traffic of commodities, illegal narcotic drugs, fabrication of documents, illegal marriages with the Iranian women.
Some 1.2 million foreign nationals holding the blue identity cards are residing in Iran who observe the Iranian laws and regulations, he added.
He concluded by saying that currently some 21,824 from 119 countries are living in Iran with their valid passports.
(IRNA)