Iran’s Interior Minister Meets Afghan, Pakistani Officials in Geneva
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, who is in the Swiss city of Geneva, held separate talks with high-ranking Afghan and Pakistani officials on the issue of refugees.
Rahmani Fazli, who is in the European city to attend the 66th session of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Executive Committee (ExCom), separately met with Afghan Refugees and Repatriation Minister Sayed Hussain Alemi Balkhi and Pakistan’s Minister of States and Frontier Regions Abdul Quadir Baloc.
In both meetings, Rahmani Fazli discussed mutual cooperation on the issue of refugees.
On the sidelines of the UNHRC Session, the Iranian minister also held a meeting with Mozambican Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Nyeleti Brooke Mondlane.
Earlier on Monday, Babak Dinparast, the head of the interior ministry's information center had said that the Iranian interior minister is scheduled to hold talks with UNHCR Head Antonio Guterres.
Noting that this year’s session of the ExCom is mainly focused on addressing the issue of Afghan refugees under a proposal made by Iran, Dinparast said problems facing Afghan refugees and their voluntary repatriation will be fully discussed at the meeting.
UNHCR's governing ExCom meets in Geneva annually to review and approve the agency's program and budget, advise on international protection and discuss a wide range of other issues with UNHCR and its intergovernmental and non-governmental partners.
ExCom's Standing Committee meets several times each year to carry on the body's work between plenary sessions.