Britain moved fast for Ukraine refugees – we must do the same for Iranians
This Nowruz should be a reminder of the Iranian people at the centre of war, writes Sohail Jannesari
Yesterday, after two weeks of silence, I woke up to a message from my cousin in Iran.
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“Everyone is safe, the missiles are close, but please don’t worry we’re getting used to it.” No one should have to get used to bombs.
For the first week of the US–Israeli attacks, I did what many in the diaspora did: refreshed the news, watched things worsen, and felt useless. Worse still, I watched Iranians fracture. Friends turned on each other, brothers stopped speaking and family WhatsApp groups fell silent after arguments.
Yet, among the many expressions of concern from those close to me, something a Palestinian colleague told me stuck, “If we feel that we don’t have the capacity to do anything then the enemy has won”. She’s right. There is so much work to be done.
Our New Year, Nowruz, is on Friday, and it is a New Year none of us feels like having. A celebration of renewal admittedly seems hollow amidst war. But one thing is clear: we must look after each other, especially those who have recently arrived here seeking safety.
As a mental health academic, I’m working with overstretched Iranian charities to develop simple guidance for peer support groups. But this cannot be left to volunteers and small organisations. One charity told me that even before the bombing, their waiting list for counselling was 16 months. The government needs to provide funding for a rapid expansion of community-delivered mental health support.
The government should also act on immigration. Iranians here are stuck for years in asylum limbo without a decision, now while fearing for loved ones under bombardment. When Russia invaded Ukraine, the UK moved quickly. It should do the same now. Give people an amnesty and refugee status, clear the backlog, and create an Iranian resettlement route for those who have managed to leave.
As headlines focus on Trump and Starmer, this Nowruz should be a reminder of the Iranian people at the centre of this. Because whatever happens, Iranians in the UK and Iran will need support. The question is whether we act now or leave communities to carry this alone.
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Dr Sohail Jannesari is a researcher, writer, and educator, and author of The Migrant Art of Coping - find out more at www.sohailj.com.
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