The Iranian government has stepped up its appeals in the last few weeks for the return of Iranian exiles who fled to Europe and the United States after the 1979 Islamic revolution.
"Twenty years after the revolution, the leaders and Iranian citizens living in the west have a common concern, which is the welfare of Iranian children born abroad," the Bahar newspaper, which is close to the presidency, said Saturday.
For several weeks now, government economic officials have been calling for urgent and concrete steps to be taken to allow Iranians to return to the country and take part in its reconstruction, particularly those with substantial capital abroad.
"Eight major Iranian investors live in the United States," the paper said.
Several seminars and conferences over recent days in Tehran have brought together experts, university academics and researchers to look at what measures could be taken to lay the groundwork for the return of Iranian families who have settled in Europe and the US.
At the time of the Islamic revolution, more than two million Iranians left the country, for the most part specialized staff educated at European and US universities - TEHRAN (AFP)
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