In a report concerning the emigration of Iran’s pioneering pediatric heart surgeon, the Medical System Organization announced that 638 children in need of heart surgery were left at risk following the departure of this specialist.
The state-run daily Ham Mihan lamented, “The news was succinct yet distressing! Dr. Maziar Gholampour Dehki, a distinguished surgeon renowned for his expertise in pediatric heart transplants, has also departed from Iran. With a patient waiting list booked solid for the next two years, 638 children awaiting heart surgery now face uncertainty at the Shahid Rajaei Heart and Vascular Center.”
The head of the pediatric heart transplant department at Shahid Rajaee Hospital further emphasized the severe shortage of pediatric heart surgeons currently afflicting the country. Patients endure waiting periods of 2-3 years for this critical operation.
As the exodus of skilled professionals from Iran intensifies, authorities of the Iranian regime have pledged to confront immigration offices and impede the ‘organized’ departure of elites.
In response to this governmental decision, the ‘Rouydad 24’ website remarked, “The authorities aim to halt the emigration of elites through police cooperation.”
Similarly, the ‘Ham Mihan’ newspaper criticized this approach as a ‘police solution to elite emigration’, asserting, “This security-centric approach to societal issues not only fails to resolve any problems but exacerbates them.”
The head of the Center for Strategic Studies within the regime’s Presidency remarked on January 8 that migration in Iran stems not merely from economic factors but also from a lack of clarity regarding the future.
In February 2024, Iranian media reported a 200% surge in requests from doctors seeking the requisite documentation and administrative letters for immigration.
Year after year, thousands of students, medical professionals, and skilled workers depart Iran, with many opting not to return. While experts view this capital flight as irreparable, officials of the regime downplay its significance.
According to a report published on November 22, 2023, Ham Mihan estimated the global Iranian immigrant population at two million and 62 thousand individuals.
Iranian citizens frequently seek opportunities abroad, drawn by prospects for education, advancement, and a more comfortable lifestyle. Between 2010 and 2020, the number of Iranian students studying overseas increased from 44,523 to 66,701. Yet, only 2003 individuals returned to Iran upon completing their studies.
Referring to migration statistics from 2022, Ham Mihan noted that the inclination to return among Iranian immigrants has considerably waned over time, suggesting its variability based on prevailing conditions.
The latest survey conducted in 2022 revealed that 62% of emigrants had definitively decided against returning, whereas only 14% were committed to doing so. The remaining 24% remained undecided.
These statistics raise concerns among experts, who warn of the profound and irremediable damage inflicted upon Iran across economic, health, educational, and developmental domains by this ongoing exodus.
