Disir
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On Monday, the Islamic Republic News Agency—Iran's official press outlet—reported that the nation's parliament had passed a law allowing the state to grant citizenship to the children, parents, and wives of foreigners killed while fighting for Iran. The legislation applies explicitly to those "killed on a mission for Iran during the Iran-Iraq war of 1980–1988," during which an unknown number of foreigners—mostly Afghans and Iraqis—aided the newly formed Islamic republic in its struggle against Saddam Hussein. But the law also creates a path to citizenship for families of foreigners who die in other conflicts supporting Iran, leading many to interpret it as a strategy to help recruit refugees into brigades bolstering Syrian president Bashar al Assad's forces against the Islamic State and al Qaeda affiliates.
"There's no other reason [this law] would come about now," said Philip Smyth, a researcher at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy who monitors Iranian-backed forces in Syria, where he said Afghan migrants are treated like cannon fodder.
Iran is home to a huge number of migrants from neighboring countries. About 3 million of them are Afghans, many from the ethnically Hazara, religiously Shia minority. Some have lived in Iran since the Soviet invasion of their nation in 1979; others are recent refugees fleeing war in the country, or short-term residents trying to build up the resources to move elsewhere.
Iran Is Offering Citizenship to Families of Migrants Who Died Fighting Iran's Battles | VICE | United States
Another country offering citizenship for joining the military.
"There's no other reason [this law] would come about now," said Philip Smyth, a researcher at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy who monitors Iranian-backed forces in Syria, where he said Afghan migrants are treated like cannon fodder.
Iran is home to a huge number of migrants from neighboring countries. About 3 million of them are Afghans, many from the ethnically Hazara, religiously Shia minority. Some have lived in Iran since the Soviet invasion of their nation in 1979; others are recent refugees fleeing war in the country, or short-term residents trying to build up the resources to move elsewhere.
Iran Is Offering Citizenship to Families of Migrants Who Died Fighting Iran's Battles | VICE | United States
Another country offering citizenship for joining the military.
