Financial Times:

Bahram Salavati
The writer is the former head of the Iran Migration Observatory

The number of Iranian students abroad reached record highs in 2024, signalling an unprecedented wave of emigration that is steadily depleting the country’s human capital. This exodus highlights a critical challenge for Iran: the loss of its educational elite and skilled professionals at a time when development hinges on retaining and nurturing talent. The departures are a symptom of deeper, systemic issues plaguing the nation.

The root causes of this trend are as complex as they are interrelated. Economic hardship, exacerbated by years of sanctions, has created a bleak financial landscape. High inflation, a devalued currency and diminished job prospects have left young Iranians disillusioned about their future. This is compounded by social frustrations and political instability, including the persistent threat of regional conflict. Together, these factors have propelled not only students but also labourers, entrepreneurs and asylum seekers to pursue opportunities abroad.

Compounding the problem is the lack of reliable data on emigration. Without a centralised regulatory body to track these trends, the government is left grappling with anecdotal evidence and fragmented reports. Nonetheless, alarming figures have surfaced. President Masoud Pezeshkian recently claimed that up to 80 per cent of students were contemplating emigration, while his minister of science noted that 25 per cent of university professors had already left in the past few years. 

University graduates and skilled professionals form the backbone of a country’s innovation and productivity. Yet, Iran’s talent pool is being drained at an alarming rate. The number of Iranians studying abroad has increased more in the last four years — hitting 110,000 in 2024 — than in the two decades before. Such an acceleration indicates profound discontent and points to systemic issues.

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