IRNA � Iran expects the Europe and affluent countries to help cover the costs imposed on host countries by refugees as international aid to this end is not acceptable, said Minister of Interior Abdurreza Rahmani Fazli on Monday.

He made the remarks in a meeting with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi who is currently in Tehran to discuss issues of mutual interest with senior Iranian officials.

'The scanty international aid is not justifiable,' said the minister adding that in the past 35 years, Iran has accepted refugees giving them a variety of services for the Islamic and humane reasons.

'For further understanding the problems resulted by hosting refugees, Europeans are expected to host them for some years,' Rahmani Fazli suggested.

Saying that about three million legal and illegal Afghan refugees live in Iran, the minister said, 'About 7,000 illegal refugees are sent back to Afghanistan every year.'

'In order to stop refugees from fleeing their countries, proper living conditions including housing, health facilities, and education, should be provided for them,' he added.

Stressing the necessity for the UN to hold a joint meeting to decide about the refugees, Rahmani Fazli said, 'Europeans should support the hosting countries.'

Referring to his �serious talks� with former UN High Commissioner for Refugees [Ant�nio Guterres] who is now serving as the Secretary General of the international body, he added, 'He made several promises; we hope he will keep his promises as a senior official of UN.'

While in Tehran, Grandi has so far met with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif and with the ambassadors of foreign countries in the Iranian capital.

Meeting with ambassador took place in the presence of Iran's Deputy Interior Minister for Security Affairs Hossein Zolfaghari.