Serbia: European gate of escape from Tehran’s persecution

By Mahmoud Rushdy

Serbia’s inbound tourism from Iran has increased since September 2017. Due to visa-free entry system applied by the Serbian authorities for the Iranians, four passenger airplanes took off from Tehran Airport to Belgrade weekly. However, It was revealed that Iranian youth head to Serbia, seeking political asylum not for enjoying tourism.

It was estimated that the number of Iranian asylum seekers to Iran-ally Belgrade reached 1,600 person this year, compared to 20 people in the previous year. Serbia is the only European ally of Iran, which refused to recognize Kosovo’s independence from Serbia in 2008.

The independence of Kosovo from Serbia was recognized by 108 countries, including 22 European countries, after NATO forces launched an attack on Serbia and Montenegro following the armed confrontations took place between Serbia and Kosovo that claimed the lives of thousands of Kosovo Albanians in 1999.

Despite that Belgrade and Tehran have close ties, Serbia is considered an entrance gate of other European countries for many Iranian migrants and asylum seekers who flee their country’s oppression.

Why do Iranians flee their homeland?

The totalitarian regime of Iran has pushed youth to look for another home, where they can enjoy freedom. In a report by the Guardian six days ago, the Serbian capital has become a foothold for Iranians, where their dreams may come true.

“Everyone who comes [from Iran] is either LGBT, or Christian or politically oppressed, or was fighting in Syria for Assad and decided to leave because they didn’t like it,” Director of Info Park organization Gordan Paunovic was quoted by the Guardia.

Since the Iranian Revolution of 1979, the authorities have worked on eliminating political opposition, especially the Ahvazis, whom has been deprived from basic services of clean water, health and education, according to a report on the Iranian Persecution, published by Rawabet Center for Research and Strategic Studies.

Also, the deteriorating economy is one of the main reasons behind fleeing Iran. Due to the U.S. economic sanctions of Tehran, the Iranian economy is facing a severe crisis led to the outbreak of popular protests in various parts of the country. It suffers from rising economic inflation and high unemployment rate, as well as devaluation of the national currency by more than half of its value against the dollar.

Socially, Iranian authorities are still restricting freedom of expression via blocking social media platforms of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Telegram.

Hundreds of social media users already detained for commenting on controversial issues, even if such issues relate to fashion, according to a human rights report.

Moreover, Iranian women suffer oppression and abuse, especially in matters of personal status of marriage and divorce.

Last but not least, the Iranian government imposed unprecedented security measures on  the political and cultural activities of most of the country’s minorities, such as Azerbaijani, Kurdish, Arab and Baloch minorities.

As a result, a wide range of Iranian citizens escape from mullahs’ hell to a European country even if it is an ally of the Tehran.

Meanwhile, It was not ruled out that the European Union could take a deterrent action against Serbia over its close relation with Iran, particularly amid the financial crises and the economic difficulties experienced by EU countries as a result of increasing influx of migrants and refugees.