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Systematic corruption has also been a key factor for migration among the two groups of university students and graduates, and doctors and nurses. Sanctions and the falling national currency as well as inflation are the main factors affecting “businesspeople.” 

In its latest annual outlook, Iran Migration Observatory says the UAE hosts the highest number of Iranians living abroad with over 450,000 Iranian-born residents, followed by the US, Canada, Germany, Turkey and the UK, as Iranians seek a better quality of life.

Although a report published in Iran cannot openly blame the political environment as a reason for migration, lack of social freedoms and the discriminatory nature of the authoritarian clerical political system also play a major role to drive young people out of the country.

A “lack of opportunities to be influential”, “feeling useless in the country”, and “lack of a promising prospect for the future” strengthen the motivation for migration and push people to actively plan for their emigration, the observatory said. 

The number of Iranians living in Turkey has increased five-fold during the past seven years to stand at about 155,000. Based on international statistics, the report claims that more than two million Iranians are living abroad. However, the High Council of Iranian Affairs Abroad, an affiliate of the country’s Foreign Ministry, put the number at over four million people.

The report published in December covering 2022 also said that potential for growth and salaries were among other factors driving people out.

The risk of brain drain is also high as Iran fails to invest in key jobs of the future and technologies which surround that such as robotics, cloud computing and blockchain. The report called it “a chronic policy confusion,” and a crisis awaiting the human resources of the country.

Citing international databases, the document says Iran ranked 54th in terms of the number of migrants leaving the country. In terms of students going abroad to continue their studies, Iran ranked 17th. 

Nationwide antigovernment protests since September and a further deterioration in economic conditions appear to have encourages more professionals to leave.

Oman is also emerging as a new favorite destination. During the past year about 30,000 personnel of different medical professions, including doctors, nurses, and paramedical technicians, have applied for Certificates of Good Standing with intent to immigrate to Oman.

In April, Iran's Medical Council said about 4,000 doctors have applied for Certificates of Good Standing in the previous 12 months with the intent to leave the country. Council spokesman Reza Laripour said that the annual number of such applications was less than 600 between 2013 and 2015.

Serhiy Popko, head of the Kyiv city military administration said on Monday that the debris from a drone fell on a residential building in an area west of the capital. It caused major damage and a fire that was put out quickly, but no casualties were reported.

The Ukrainian Air Force announced Tuesday morning that Moscow had launched a total of 15 Iranian-made Shahed drones on Ukraine late Monday, with the air defense shooting down 14of them.

Last fall, Russia began using drones in its attacks against Ukraine's infrastructure, temporarily depriving millions of Ukrainians of heating, water and electricity during the winter.

The Ukrainian military reports that the probability of further missile and air strikes across the country remains high.

Ukraine says its air force has shot down more than 500 Iranian drones so far; an issue that Western countries have also confirmed.

Several countries such as the US and European Union have sanctioned Iran for its provision of drones in Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Iran has denied sending drones to Russia for months, but with increasing evidence, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian finally admitted the issue in November last year. However, he claimed that the deployment of drones was "limited and before the war in Ukraine".

Ramezan Ali Sangdovini, representing Gorgan told Rouydad24 website that "Iran is overwhelmed by mismanagement." He added that "even those neighboring countries that are affected by wars are doing better than us."

Iran’s currency, rial, dropped to unprecedented lows right before the Nowruz, creating more chaos and despair for a population which has lost most of its purchasing power since 2018, because of US sanctions and a mismanaged economy.

Sangdovini stressed that "mismanagement is seriously endangering the integrity and authority of Iran's political system." He added: "Iran has no problem in resources and capital. All our problems are caused by mismanagement of resources.”

He reiterated that most of government managers are not fit for the positions they hold. Furthermore, the way they treat the people is less than perfect. Sangdovini said that the government cannot manage the falling national currency, rising prices and inflation rate.

He dismissed official comments about the "enemy's role in rising prices," and said the government is responsible. "The price of items such as dairy and gasoline is absolutely under the government's control. But it is not clear why the government refuses to keep the price of these items low."

He warned the government that currently a large part of the population cannot afford to buy a kilo of meat. He added that the government has refused to send ministers to the parliament to answer lawmakers. The only solution for the Majles is to impeach the ministers," Sangdovini said.

Earlier, some lawmakers, including former nuclear chief Fereydoun Abbasi had said that the country's economic situation can only get worse, adding that the government lacks the will and authority to solve the problem.

Many politicians and commentators have been urging the regime to reach an agreement with the United States over its nuclear dispute and try to remove crippling sanctions, but so far talks with the West remain suspended.

Meanwhile, another lawmaker, Jalal Mahmoudzadeh told reporters that the only way to sort out Iran's economic chaos is to summon President Ebrahim Raisi to the parliament. "Not only there has not been any progress in fixing the economic since Raisi took office in 2021, but the country has even lost ground in some areas as a result of the government's inefficiency."

He added that the parliament should deal with the matter and step in to sort out the problem once and for all. "We should summon Raisi to the Majles and question him and demand convincing answers from him; and if we are not convinced, then we should use the parliament's supervisory leverage," meaning to impeach the President. "He is the chief executive and should be accountable for the current situation," Mohammadzadeh said.

He reminded that when Raisi took office, he promised to control inflation and boost the national currency. He also promised to create four million jobs during the four years of his presidency. We see that not only none of these have happened, but Iranians lost 10 million jobs because of restrictions the government has imposed on access to the Internet. This comes while based on Raisi's promises, he should have created 1.5 million new jobs during this period.

Meanwhile, Mohammadzadeh warned lawmakers that if they fail to make Raisi accountable for his poor performance, their own electability will be at risk in the next parliamentary election in 2024.

The Iranian made Shahin, manufactured by Iran’s Saipa, which has been beset by quality issues, will be on sale in Russia from June. Iranian officials, politicians and media have often blamed the inferior quality of domestic cars for a high rate of accidents over the years.

Between 2008 and 2018, 280,000 people died in road accidents, although there are no estimates of how many of these deaths were directly related to mechanical problems with domestic cars.

Tass news agency quoted Alexander Stepanov, CEO of Best Motors as saying that the company plans to sell at least 10,000 cars and open up to 120 dealerships in Russian regions during the first year.

The contract with Saipa is intended for three years and Best-Motors is going to sell 45,000 cars over that period.

Earlier, head of Iran's Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) Alireza Peyman-Pak stated the value of the Russian car market is approximately $20 billion.

“The withdrawal of other car companies from Russia, in response to the imposition of Western sanctions, has opened up opportunities for Iranian carmakers to secure a substantial portion of this market, providing them with a competitive advantage,” he added.

Shahin’s outdated technology dates back 30 years, based on Chinese standards

It offers a boost to Iran’s ailing auto industry which accounts for a large percentage of the nation’s non-oil exports and employs nearly 800,000 workers.

The two major car manufacturers, Iran Khodro and Saipa, are both state-owned, while a smattering of smaller firms are privately run.

With a rising public outcry over the waning quality and safety of indigenously-made cars and the surge of traffic-related accidents, calls for the liberalization of imports have gained momentum.

The decision is part of a series of measures announced on Monday aimed at improving access to visas to boost tourism revenues at a time when Egypt has been struggling economically with an acute foreign currency shortage.

It also comes as some Middle Eastern countries including Egypt are taking steps to ease regional tensions. Egypt's Sunni Arab ally Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite Iran announced this month that they would restore diplomatic relations.

Cairo has mended a rift with Qatar and is re-establishing ties with Turkey, another country to benefit from new visa rules with Turkish nationals given expanded access to visas on arrival, according to a Egyptian Tourism Ministry statement.

Among the other new visa rules announced were a $700, five-year multiple-entry visa, which Tourism Minister Ahmed Issa told Reuters was aimed at investors and property owners who are based outside Egypt.

On visas for Iranians arriving in South Sinai, home to the highly secured resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, Issa said, "We will evaluate the experience of their arrival in South Sinai as a first step, and building on that, we'll determine if they will be admitted in other places."

Relations between Egypt and Iran have generally been fraught in recent decades although the two countries have maintained diplomatic contacts.

Tourists from China, which Egypt regards as a market with big potential, and Indians resident in Gulf countries will also be granted visas on arrival.

All new visa rules have been approved in principle and will be put into effect soon, a tourism ministry official said.

Reuters report