UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres is set to pay an official visit to Iran to hold talks with the countrys officials about hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees.Guterress two-day visit to Tehran will begin on Monday as Afghanistan is gearing up for a presidential election in April, the UNHCR office said in a statement.
"With the transition in Afghanistan in 2014, the need for humanitarian assistance may very well increase," said the statement.
Campaigning for Afghanistans presidential election officially began on February 2 with 11 candidates competing to succeed President Hamid Karzai.
The April 5 presidential election is widely viewed as a crucial test for Afghanistan and the next president, as most of the US-led foreign forces in the country prepare to finally withdraw their combat troops after nearly 13 years of military intervention in the war-torn country.
"Iran and Pakistan, the world's two largest refugee hosting countries, will need continued international support to maintain asylum space for refugees during these difficult times,"the statementadded.
The statement noted that during his visit, the UN refugee chief "will meet Iranian officials and international missions, stressing the commitment of UNHCR to support the government of Iran."
Iran hosts one of the largest and most protracted refugee populations in the world, including Afghans who have been in the country for more than three decades.
According to the Iranian Bureau for Aliens and Foreign Immigrants Affairs, the total number of refugees registered with the authorities stood at some 882,659, including 840,158 Afghans and 42,501 Iraqis as of October 2011.
Meanwhile, AFP quoted a UN source as saying that Guterres is also likely to discuss the ongoing crisis in Syria with the Iranian officials.
Syria has been gripped by deadly violence since 2011. Reports indicate that more than 130,000 people have been killed and millions displaced due to foreign-backed militancy.
By Press TV
The Iran Project is not responsible for the content of quoted articles.
