TEHRAN – The Social Security Organization has established agencies in more than 20 countries, Mehdi Shakouri, an official with the organization, said on Sunday.In some countries, such as Turkey and Canada, more agencies are operating due to the high number of Iranians living in those countries, IRIB quoted Shakouri as saying.Over the past two years, some 1,500 Iranians living abroad have put in retirement requests via the agencies, and pensions are being deposited into their overseas accounts, he explained.Over 4m Iranians residing abroadThe Secretariat of the High Council of Iranians Abroad announced in its 2020 report that a total of 4,037,258 Iranians reside abroad, 76 percent of whom are resident in the Americas and European countries.Over the past two years, some 1,500 Iranians living abroad have put in retirement requests via the agencies, and pensions are being deposited into their overseas accounts. A comprehensive law is being drafted to protect Iranians living abroad, Fatah Ahmadi, deputy minister of justice for human rights and international affairs, has said.In order to pave the way for Iranians abroad to invest in their homeland, create sustainable employment, and also to facilitate the movement of Iranians, especially the elites, in order to provide consultations and help the development of the country, it is necessary for them to travel to Iran, he explained.“We try to address such concerns within the framework of this comprehensive law to provide opportunities for Iranian expatriates to stay and invest in the country,” he noted.Moreover, the administration of President Ebrahim Raisi has placed the issue of facilitating the return of Iranians living abroad to their home country high on its agenda, with government officials constantly reiterating the need for paving the way for the expatriates to return. About 500 Iranian researchers have returned home over the past four years to transfer their knowledge and expertise to the country's universities, according to the vice presidency for science and technology.With the support of the National Elites Foundation and Science and Technology Vice Presidency, 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 opportunity, and visiting fellows, in addition to being faculty members.MG