Australia Hopeful of Returning Thousands of Iranian Refugees to Their Country
The Australian Foreign Ministry office announced that the country hopes to reach an agreement with Tehran to return thousands of Iranian refugees residing in Australia back to Iran.
According to Reuters citing the Australian Foreign Minister’s office, Julie Bishop hopes that the two sides will reach an agreement during Mohammad Javad Zarif’s upcoming visit to the country next Tuesday regarding the return of Iranian refugees whose asylum requests have been rejected by Australia. Due to Iran’s refusal to directly accept this group of refugees, approximately 9,000 Iranian citizens are currently in limbo in Australia and on the islands of Nauru and Papua in Papua New Guinea.
The Australian Foreign Ministry office announced on Wednesday in a statement: “Our preference is for the voluntary return of individuals who are not receiving adequate support. In any case, individuals whose stay has no legal basis may face deportation circumstances.”
Negotiations between Iran and Australia regarding the settlement of thousands of Iranian refugees residing in the country began during Bishop’s visit to Tehran last April. Australian media, citing senior officials from the country, reported that in a draft treaty to be signed by Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Australian counterpart, Iran has been asked not to pressure or punish citizens who are returned to Iran.
It is still unclear how many Iranians will be returned to their country if such an agreement is signed and implemented; however, Australia classifies many Iranian refugees as economic migrants and does not regard them as refugees.
Despite widespread reporting of an imminent agreement between Tehran and Canberra to settle the status of Iranian refugees, Abdolhossein Vahajiyan, Iran’s ambassador to Australia, in an interview with Persian-language Radio Neshat strongly denied signing such an agreement on behalf of Iran. Regarding the Iranian Foreign Minister’s visit to Australia, he said: “In meetings between the two governments, there will certainly be discussions in various fields, particularly regarding refugees, but we assure all refugees that no agreement will be signed in this regard. And as long as refugees do not willingly and sincerely wish to return to Iran of their own accord and will, the Iranian government will not take any action in this matter.”
