The Islamic Republic of Iran has taken in one of the largest urban populations of refugees in the world. The fall of the Government of President Ashraf Ghani and the taking of Afghanistan by the Taliban in August have intensified this wave of displaced persons. According to the UNHCR, in October 2020, following the fall of the Government of President Ashraf Ghani, the Islamic Republic of Iran took in 800,000 Afghans which it has granted the status of refugees, along with around another 2.25 million Afghans with an unregulated status. Several estimations show that the Afghan population in Iran has grown by several hundreds of thousands of people since the month of August.
This humanitarian situation comes on top of the impact of COVID-19 on the Islamic Republic of Iran. According to WHO data, on 11 January 2021, the Islamic Republic of Iran reported 6,204,512 cases of COVID-19 with more than 131,847 deaths from the disease.
In light of the situation, the Islamic Republic of Iran made a call for help to the European Civil Protection Mechanism, requesting 6 million vaccines against COVID-19 for the Afghan population in the country, to which Spain, in a show of solidarity with the country in the fight against the pandemic and its recognition of the important role it is playing in taking in Afghan refugees, has responded by today handing over 2,204,000 AstraZeneca vaccines.
By making this donation, Spain meets its commitment to donate at least 2 million vaccines on humanitarian grounds made by the President of the Government on 8 November, at an event to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees.
This donation is also framed within the so-called “Team Europe” operation and is co-financed by the European Civil Protection Mechanisms of the EU – another sign of Spain’s firm commitment to the international donation of vaccines, having already donated more than 50 million doses, placing it as the sixth leading donor in the world, and the second to Latin America and the Caribbean.
Lastly, this donation is also a clear show of solidarity with the Afghan people.
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