Photos published of Iranians queuing overnight outside the Chinese embassy in Tehran once again drew public attention to one of the most important social realities in Iran today: the widespread desire among people to leave the country.
Hossein Selahvarzi, former head of Iran’s regime Chamber of Commerce, reacted to these images by calling them “a source of shame” and criticizing the situation. He wrote: “A nation whose country imports more than 70% of its goods from China should not have to sleep on the ground to get permission to travel.”
He also called on Masoud Pezeshkian, the president of Iran’s regime, to “order the removal of these humiliating queues” before his upcoming trip to Beijing.
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These images were published while the Iranian regime has consistently emphasized strengthening strategic ties with Eastern countries, including China, in its official propaganda. Yet at the same time, scenes of people waiting overnight for visa appointments show the growing desire among Iranians to emigrate—even to countries such as China.
Experts believe that rising inflation, systemic corruption, political deadlock, and the lack of job and welfare prospects—especially for the youth and middle class—are among the main factors driving this widespread desire to emigrate. The increasing demand in recent months for student, work, and even tourist visas to Asian and European countries reflects this reality.
Masoud Pezeshkian’s upcoming trip to China has now come under the shadow of such criticism and public pressure. Many social media users have demanded that instead of expanding symbolic political relations, the government should find real solutions to Iran’s economic and social crises so citizens do not have to spend the night on sidewalks outside embassies just to leave the country.
In this regard, on August 22, Rahim Zare, a member of the parliament’s Budget and Planning Commission, referred to the consequences of the 12-day war between the Iranian regime and Israel, stating that many Iranians had put their houses up for sale as they seek to emigrate.
Zare said: “If we look at the reality, many Iranians have put their houses up for sale and are seeking to emigrate due to the current conditions, and this is one of the factors contributing to the rise in currency exchange rates.”
He added: “Within 48 hours, 240,000 housing units in Tehran were put up for sale, which is alarming and is one of the factors with a significant impact on the rising price of the dollar.”
Escalation of emigration from Iran
The wave of emigration from Iran had already been accelerating long before the recent war between the Iranian regime and Israel, and various institutions and organizations had previously warned of its consequences.
On July 28, Bahram Salavati, the former head of Iran Migration Observatory, said that nearly 4% of Iran’s educated population and students had left the country.
He had previously reported that the number of Iranian students abroad had reached over 100,000, and only 1% of them return to Iran.
The emigration of elites, healthcare workers, university professors, and skilled laborers in recent years has sparked widespread concern among experts and the Iranian public.
