ethnic minority populations, such as Kurdistan or Sistan and Baluchistan, are run by a person
belonging to that minority.12
Provinces with high concentrations of ethnic populations in Iran often experience low levels of
development due to neglect from the Tehran-based central government. In 2015, Sistan and
Balouchistan reported that 63% of its urban and 76% of its rural population are living under the
poverty line. Despite the region’s rich oil reserves which has led to major investments from the
government, such developments have not benefited the Balouch people, which comprise the
majority of the population in the region.13
A similar situation has arisen in the province of Khuzestan, whose population is 70% ethnic
Arab. Despite the province holding between 90% and 100% of Iran’s oil and natural gas
reserves, Khuzestan has an unemployment rate of 16.2%, slightly higher than the national
average.14 This figure exceeds 40% among ethnic Arabs, who often face hiring discrimination
based on their ethnic identity.15 Over half of Khuzestan’s Arabs live in poverty, and in
segregated communities with limited access to healthcare and education. Little to none of
Khuzestan’s natural resource wealth is invested in the province’s welfare and development.16
Kurdistan is another one of Iran’s least developed regions, with over 60% of the Kurdish
population living in poverty.17 Like Khuzestan and Sistan-Baluchistan, this province experiences
a lack of job-creating investment from Tehran.
Despite Iran's claims to combat poverty, poverty in the country as a whole and especially in
provinces that are largely populated with ethnic minorities, such as Sistan and Baluchestan,
Kurdistan and Khuzestan, remains high.
12
Joint submission to the Human Rights Committee from All Human Rights for All in Iran, Association for Human Rights in
Kurdistan – Geneva, Association for the Human Rights of the Azerbaijani People in Iran, Iran Human Rights Documentation
Center, OutRight International, Siamak Pourzand Foundation, Small Media, Impact Iran, 2020,
https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CCPR/Shared%20Documents/IRN/INT_CCPR_NGO_IRN_42317_E.pdf
13
Tasnim News, ‘Chabahar national development projects crippled/63% of Chabahar’s population are marginalized (Persian),’
19 December 2016.
14
Based on the Statistic Center of Iran. Iran data for 1397-1398 (2018-2019), http://www.ibena.ir/news/102300/. See also Tasnim
News: https://tn.ai/2113615
15
Minority Voices Newsroom: http://www.minorityvoices.org/news.php/en/1776/iran-the-oppression-of-ahwazi-arab-people-inal-ahwaz
16
Small Media Foundation: https://smallmedia.org.uk/nationalfabric/Nationalfabric.pdf
17
ANF News: https://anfenglish.com/kurdistan/over-60-of-kurdish-people-in-east-kurdistan-live-in-poverty-says-mp-2658
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