Why Do Some Young Iranians Say No to Emigration?

WANA (Aug 01) – Amir, 28 years old, is a computer engineering graduate from Sharif University of Technology. Two years ago, he was accepted by a reputable German university and even progressed to the final stages of the administrative process of emigration. But at the last moment, he decided not to go.

“You could say everything was all set; I just had to pack my suitcase. But that night, a strange feeling came over me. I said to myself, I still have unfinished business with this city…”

In a country where the wave of emigration by educated people, doctors, artists, and programmers has been growing for years, staying has become a choice in itself — a choice less heard of, less understood, and sometimes even judged.

In general, the major reasons for Iranian emigration nowadays are economic problems, international sanctions, and, in some cases, political pressures. But why, despite economic crises, restrictions, and an uncertain future, are there still people who reject emigration, which is considered a kind of “default” solution?

Staying: A Choice Or A Compulsion?

According to 2024 statistics, the total number of Iranians living abroad is estimated at around five million, and the number of Iranian students abroad has reached a record of 110,000. Turkey, due to its proximity and easy access to visas, is the number one migration destination.

While Canada’s inclusive international programs place it in second position, Germany and Italy — thanks to scholarships and research opportunities — are ranked third and fourth. According to Gallup research, Iran is among the upper-middle countries in terms of migration potential.

Nevertheless, another group — not out of incapacity, fear, or lack of means, but due to conscious decision-making and different life priorities — prefer to stay in Iran.

A family is ready to leave the country. Social media/ WANA News Agency

Kimia, 26 years old, is a back-end developer who works at a private company near Vali-e-Asr Square in Tehran. Her income is around $1,000 per month, which she earns through international freelance projects.

In the evenings, she usually meets up with her friends at cafés around Vanak or Karim Khan(neighborhoods in Tehran), or on weekends, they go to small cinemas and theaters in the city.

These moments serve as psychological recharge for her—something that, in her view, her immigrant friends in the West are often deprived of because “they’re either working or tired, or even though their salaries are high, their cost of living is also high, and gradually, they become distant from the cultural environment.”

She says, “A lot of times they ask me, ‘You’re still here?’ Yeah. With all its shortcomings, this place is my home. My language is here. My memories are here. Even its pains are familiar.”

Reasons That Are Less Often Heard

For some, staying is a kind of resistance. Fatemeh, a nursing student in Tabriz who lives in a dormitory, says: “If everyone leaves, who stays for reform? For change? Who stays to help those whose problems we can help solve? We also have a share in building this society.”

Some have chosen to stay because of human relationships and emotional bonds. Kimia says, “To be honest, it was just my family that kept me here. I couldn’t imagine living without the affection of my parents. How can I leave the people who spent their lives for me and go, and at best, only see them twice a year? How long does a person live that they should endure the pain of separation?”

People are waiting in line to get their passports checked. Social media/ WANA News Agency

She also said, “I honestly have nothing to do with the current situation, politics, or sanctions. Let’s say I migrated and reached the best welfare, but if my loved ones who are in Iran and beside me don’t taste the comfort that I have, what’s the point? Instead, I put all my effort into making sure we’re comfortable together right here.”

Of course, some have also decided not to go out of fear of losing their identity and being drowned in foreignness. Arash, 35 years old, is a language teacher who lives in the Narmak district of Tehran. His monthly income is about $800, part of which comes from international online classes.

He, who often goes to Bam-e Tehran at night because of his love for the city at night, says: “Over there, maybe there’s more comfort, maybe there’s money, but I don’t recognize myself there. Here, I’ve fought with everything, I’ve built, and I’ve reached the minimums I wanted — now, should I leave and start everything all over again? At what cost, really?”

“My migrant friends might say they’re comfortable, but they don’t have fun the way we do. Not a simple gathering with laughter and jokes, not group hiking. These things are normal for us, but for them, they’ve become memories.”

How Does Society View Those Who Stayed?

In today’s Iranian social culture, migration is often equated with “progress” and “courage.” In contrast, staying may be interpreted as fear, inability, or indecisiveness. Amir himself admits: “In the first few months, I felt like a loser. Everyone was leaving, and I had stayed. But gradually I realized that my choice actually came from awareness, not weakness.”

However, this perspective is one-sided. In many countries, staying in the homeland — especially under difficult circumstances — is considered a sign of loyalty and rootedness. Perhaps it’s time that in Iran, too, those who stay are seen through a different lens.

Of course, there are also many who left Iran for academic migration and returned to serve the people of the country, and did not settle in another country.

Crowd of Passengers at Imam Khomeini Airport Terminal. Social media/ WANA News Agency

Hope Or Inaction?

Critics say staying sometimes means passivity — a kind of adaptation to the current situation. But many who stayed disagree with this notion. They are active, they work, they produce, and even raise their voices in protest — but from within. They believe that change from within is possible, though difficult and slow. They believe that the reins of solving Iran’s problems should not be handed over to outsiders.

Amir, who is now active in a software development Iranian startup, says: “Every time I launch a small app, I get a smile from a customer, I say it was worth it. It was worth it that I didn’t leave.”

Amir now supports his life through foreign projects with a monthly dollar income of nearly $1500. When we asked him about sanctions and restrictions, he said, “Despite the sanctions, there is always a way. Effort and repetition eventually pay off. There are financial problems and inflation, but there are also ways to bypass them.”

Staying In A Vague Geography

Staying in Iran may not mean comfort, but for some, it means “real living.” Between leaving and staying, there is no single answer. But hearing the voices of those who have chosen to stay — and their reasons — can deepen our view of migration, homeland, and the future.

WANA News Agency, in conversation with many of these individuals, has received a common and prevailing perspective. While they are aware of economic problems, restrictions, and social harms, they believe that migration, even if it may be beneficial on an individual level, is not a collective and sustainable solution for improving Iran’s conditions, and that change requires a committed and enduring human force.