The immigration service IND has stopped taking decisions on asylum applications from Iranian nationals and will temporarily halt returns to Iran because of the uncertain security situation in the country, asylum minister Bart van den Brink told MPs in a briefing.

Applications from Iranians will not be assessed for at least six months, and people whose requests have already been rejected will not be deported during that period, the minister said.

“The situation in Iran remains unclear and does not appear likely to stabilise in the short term,” Van den Brink said.

Officials said at the beginning of March that processing applications from Iranians was being halted as a temporary measure.

Petition

Meanwhile, a group of Iranians living in the Netherlands have launched a petition calling on the IND to continue assessing their asylum claims, saying the pause introduced at the beginning of March means “months more of uncertainty” about their future.

The Iranian authorities have recently publicly warned that Iranians abroad who support opponents of the regime or cooperate with foreign states, could be prosecuted under strict national security laws, they say.

“Official statements from the authorities mention severe punishments, including long prison sentences, confiscation of property, and even the death penalty,” the petition states.

“The Netherlands is internationally known for its commitment to human rights and the protection of people at risk. That is why it is crucial that asylum applications are processed carefully, fairly, and without unnecessary delay.”

• Iranians in NL continue to protest in support of those back home

Justice minister David van Weel told MPs last month that few Iranian nationals are deported from the Netherlands because the Iranian authorities are reluctant to provide travel documents.

Iranians make up a relatively small share of asylum seekers arriving in the Netherlands. In 2025, 431 people from Iran applied for asylum, the minister said.