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Iran's largest refugee camp closes
9 Feb 2004 The Iranian government and the UN refugee agency have closed Ashrafi Esfahini, once Iran's largest refugee camp with 12,000 Iraqis. Ambassador Jean-Marc Boulgaris, chairman of UNHCR's Executive Committee, saw off the last convoy of 205 Iraqis from the camp, heading for their homes in Iraq. -
Afghans campaign in Iran to promote refugee returns to central Afghanistan
30 Jan 2004 A delegation from Afghanistan's central province of Bamyan has begun a campaign in Iran to facilitate the voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees to Bamyan, saying the region known for its rich cultural heritage is one of the nation's safest places. -
Second Bam convoy arrives in Afghanistan
21 Jan 2004 Shaken by the recent earthquake in Iran, a second group of Afghan refugees has returned home with assistance from the UN refugee agency. Some of the returnees are visibly hurt while most have lost loved ones, including whole families. -
Afghan earthquake survivors go home from Iran
13 Jan 2004 Hundreds of Afghan refugees who lost their homes in the recent Iran earthquake have returned to Afghanistan with help from the UN refugee agency and its Iranian government counterpart. -
UNHCR rushes relief supplies to quake-hit Iran
29 Dec 2003 Eight truckloads of tents, blankets and mattresses have arrived in Kerman, near the earthquake-stricken city of Bam. UNHCR hopes these supplies will help the affected population to survive winter nights in the devastated area. -
Feature: NGO helps refugee children fight cancer in Iran
26 Dec 2003 The UN refugee agency has been working with the Mahak Charity to Support Children Suffering from Cancer to provide free cancer treatment to refugee children in Iran, as well as financial and emotional support for their families. -
Small groups of Iraqis go home from Iran, Saudi Arabia
9 Dec 2003 Two convoys have returned to southern Iraq from Ashrafi and Rafha camps this week. Although UNHCR does not promote returns to Iraq because of insecurity and lack of aid, it is facilitating these returns to protect refugees from landmines and to equip them with basic relief items. -
UNHCR concerned about obstacles facing NGO partners in Iran
2 Dec 2003 The UN refugee agency has raised concerns about the care of refugees in Iran now that more than half its non-governmental implementing partners have left the country amid administrative difficulties and operational problems. -
Feature: Learning to help other Afghans read and write
20 Oct 2003 Some 2,000 Afghan refugees in Iran are graduating from a two-month course in literacy training. Besides acquiring the skills to teach others, many of the students who were born in exile have also gained a better understanding of their homeland and cannot wait to help fellow Afghans back home.