October 14, 2022
The first “smart” identity card for Iranians living in the United States and Canada was issued September 23, the state news agency reported, and they are now available generally to Iranians living in Canada and the US.
Iranians interested in receiving the new cards may contact the Interests Section of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Washington.
The new cards record biometric information, such as iris scans and facial recognition data. They are viewed with suspicion by many who see them as a new tool for state control over individuals.
The Secretariat of the High Council of Iranians Abroad announced in its 2020 report that more than 4 million Iranians reside abroad, 76 percent of whom live in the Americas and Europe.
The administration of President Ebrahim Raisi has made encouraging the return of Iranians living abroad a major goal, with government officials constantly reiterating the need for paving the way for the expatriates to return.
With the support of the National Elites Foundation and Science and Technology Vice Presidency, a number of universities, knowledge enterprises, technology parks, and incubators launched a plan titled “Cooperation With Iranian Expatriate Entrepreneurs and Elites” in 2015.
The plan aims to attract Iranians abroad to share knowledge in different forms including postdoctoral research, research opportunities, and visiting fellows, in addition to being faculty members.