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Iranians have long sought work and relative stability in Turkey. The war could force some to return

Nearly 100,000 Iranians currently reside in Turkey, facing expiring short-term stays as the ongoing war between Iran, the United States, and Israel prevents safe return to their homeland.
United Nations refugee agency data shows 89,000 Iranians entered Turkey since the war began, while around 72,000 have departed, with most arrivals relying on short-term visa-free stays to wait out the conflict.
A 33-year-old freelance architect from Tehran faces an expiring 90-day visa and has decided to relocate to Malaysia, while Haghshenas, who moved five years ago, struggles to support her family on renewable tourist visas.
Sedat Albayrak of the Istanbul Bar Association's Refugee and Migrant Rights Center says the system encourages short-term permits over international protection, trapping some Iranians in cycles lasting over 10 years.
Families like Rahim's, in Turkey for 11 years, fear returning to Iran where their children may not adapt, describing their daily reality as "a bad life" in both countries.

Insights by Ground AI