One of the major social and cultural crises in Iran is the impact of ideological totalitarianism and political repression under the mullahs’ regime, leading to a significant increase in immigration and brain drain.
This issue has become so severe in recent years that some experts warn of “the danger of Iran becoming empty of elites, specialists, and doctors.” This crisis extends beyond professionals and affects various segments of the population.
The economic, social, and cultural burdens resulting from this situation are products of the ruling class’s policies. This class prioritizes religious-political interests, maintaining dominance, power, and wealth over the well-being of the Iranian people, even the most deprived classes. To uphold this preference and dominance, the regime has committed military crimes, political repression, and perpetuated poverty.
In recent years, the alarm over brain drain and emigration has intensified, sounding like a lament for the murder of Iran by the mullahs’ rule. This is reflected in the regime’s own media:
- On May 22, 2023, the state-run Diyar Mirza website reported: “Reza Hajipour, the spokesperson of the Education Commission, highlighted the brain drain: According to statistics from prestigious universities such as Tehran University, Amir Kabir University, Sharif University of Technology, and others, many top-performing students and graduates are leaving the country. Annually, around 60,000 people emigrate from Iran, with 70-80% of them being top ranks in national entrance exams, Olympiads, and scientific fields. The push factors from Iran and pull factors from destination countries are major drivers of this migration.”
- The state-run Tabnak website wrote on November 28, 2023: “The Italian newspaper Financial Times, citing the OECD, noted that Iran experienced the fastest growth in immigration from 2020 to 2021, with an increase of 141%. The number of emigrants rose from 48,000 in 2020 to 115,000 in 2021, leading to uncontrolled mass migration. Migration now affects various classes, from doctors and nurses to skilled and unskilled workers. UN reports indicate a 44% increase in Iranian refugees in 2022 compared to the previous year. Bahram Salvati, director of the Iranian Migration Observatory, confirmed that 80% of migrations have economic and political reasons, with increasing desire and action to migrate among all societal sections.”
- Tasnim news agency reported on March 24, 2022: “Many university graduates face a lack of opportunities, effectively forcing them to emigrate.”
- Deutsche Welle Farsi website reported on November 13, 2023: “According to the Hammihan newspaper, the number of Iranian immigrant students abroad increased from 44,523 in 2010 to 66,701 in 2020.”
- On May 7, 2024, Baharnews wrote: “Medical professionals in Iran are considering emigration due to job insecurity and cultural pressures. Iranian workers in Iraq, despite health challenges, earn two and a half times the salary they would in Iran, leading many to stay in Iraq. The increasing migration statistics have become a security issue, with government agencies barred from publishing these figures to avoid negative implications.”
A Sad Honor for the Iranian Nation
A quote from the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) highlights the notable success of Iranian immigrants: “Compared to the overall foreign-born population, Iranian immigrants are much more likely to have a college degree, higher household incomes, and greater English proficiency. In 2019, 59% of Iranians aged 25 or older had a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to 33% of U.S.-born and immigrant adults. Only 7% of Iranian immigrants lacked a high school diploma, compared to 26% of immigrants overall and 8% of U.S.-born adults. Iranian immigrants reported a median household income of $79,000 in 2019, compared to $64,000 and $66,000 for the total foreign-born and native populations, respectively.”
MIT University statistics reveal that Iranian professors, scientists, engineers, and business leaders in the U.S. manage or own assets worth about one trillion dollars. Nearly 15,000 Iranian doctors work in the United States. Iranians are noted as the most law-abiding ethnic group with the least number of charges and convictions. Approximately 12,000 full-time Iranian professors research and teach at American universities and institutions of higher learning, with 75% of them teaching at the top 200 American universities. While this is a point of pride, it is also a source of deep regret and pain for Iran.
