Unofficial estimates say 8 million people have already left Iran for greener pastures, and according to recent polls, millions more say they would do the same.
A recent poll on Instagram showed that 83% of Iranians would leave Iran if given the opportunity due to persistent inflation, eroding purchasing power, limited job opportunities and social repression.
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Nearly 100,000 answer Iran International poll, 83% say they would leave Iran
By Saba Heidarkhani, as published by Iran International on 12 August 2026
Eighty-three per cent of nearly 100,000 respondents to an Iran International Instagram poll said they would emigrate from Iran if given the opportunity, offering a stark measure of the frustration and uncertainty felt by many of those who participated.
Only 17% said they would stay, with economic hardship, inflation, social restrictions and a lack of clear prospects for the future among the pressures driving many respondents to consider leaving.
“We didn’t have money to emigrate before; now we don’t even have money to live in Iran,” one citizen said in the comments section. Another pointed out that with the exchange rate reaching 2,000,000 rials per US dollar, even reaching the border has become unaffordable.
Many emphasised that their desire to leave stems from a basic wish for stability, dignity, and a normal life without constant anxiety. “We only get one chance at life and youth, and I wish we could spend it somewhere in good spirits,” one respondent wrote. “Why should we keep waiting years for Iran to be fixed?”
The findings align with independent research on societal hopelessness in the country. A poll conducted in March 2024 by the Washington-based Stasis Institute found that 76 per cent of Iranians believed young people saw no successful future for themselves in Iran, a figure that rose to 82 per cent among those aged 18 to 29.
According to United Nations data, more than 4.14 million Iranians have sought asylum abroad since 1980. Iran International estimates that an additional two million Iranians have emigrated through legal channels, meaning roughly one in every 15 Iranians now lives abroad, out of a population of 87 million. Unofficial estimates place the first-generation Iranian diaspora at over eight million.
Economic Strain and Brain Drain
Persistent inflation, eroding purchasing power and limited job opportunities remain among the main factors driving the desire to leave. Iran has consistently ranked among the leading countries of origin for international students in North America and Europe, and ranks fourth worldwide as a source of doctoral students in the United States.
Socio-political restrictions, air pollution and declining public infrastructure further exacerbate the sense of impasse. Foreign diplomatic operations in Iran have also slowed following recent regional escalations, leaving many visa applications halted and adding to public frustration.
Sociologist Hossein Ghazian previously told Iran International that push factors within Iran have consistently played a greater role in driving emigration than opportunities abroad. As those domestic pressures intensify, he said, the desire to leave is likely to grow.
Resistance Versus Departure
Despite the overwhelming majority favouring emigration, a segment of respondents rejected the idea, framing it as a surrender to the Islamic Republic. Some argued that remaining in Iran to demand political change is the only viable path forward.
“Emigrating means giving up,” one respondent wrote. “Instead, we should rebuild Iran.” Another added: “No, the ones who should leave are the Islamic Republic.”
Others cited the popular protest song Suroud-e Zan (Women’s Anthem) by Singer Mehdi Yarrahi, echoing its line: “Why travel? Stay and take it back.”
For many, the decision remains contingent on the political regime itself. “If Iran were in good shape, never, but with the clerics in power, yes,” one comment read.
For others, family ties remain the sole anchor. One woman noted she would have left two decades ago were it not for her mother, while another said she still hoped to build a better future for her children, even as she felt her own youth had slipped away.
As economic pressures intensify, the debate between leaving for stability and staying to push for change continues to define the daily reality of millions of Iranians.
Featured image: ‘Nurse Emigration. How Iran’s Failing Regime Turns an Exodus into Propaganda’, WNCRI, 6 June 2025
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UNOFFICIAL Instagram poll…? with United Nation funded Apps platform..? Are you kidding me..?!
Did anyone knows that Iran was under international sanctions imposed by the United Nations, the United States, and other countries due to its (non-exist) nuclear program, alleged support for terrorism, and human rights violations..? Some west-related social media apps also in that sanctions.
Does this article tried to tell all of us that United Nation is telling about real-time information about upcoming real plan to forced mass-migration Iran citizens to Europe..??
Spoiler alert..! They are RIGHT NOW trying to cause economic & political UN-STABILITY in Iran to swoop in ..!! Duh..!!!