Iran has 'no intention' of taking back refugees who flee to Australia By David Wroe and Michael Koziol Iran's Ambassador has poured cold water on hopes of any imminent deal to forcibly send up to 9000 failed Iranian asylum seekers home. 
Ahead of a visit by the nation's foreign minister next week, Ambassador Abdolhossein Vahaji told Fairfax Media that Iran had no intention of accepting back its citizens returned forcibly after their asylum applications had been rejected.
His comments follow a report in The West Australian newspaper this week that said talks on the long- running point of contention between the two countries were well- advanced and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop was hopeful of a deal next week. Asked whether there was any chance of a deal on returning people involuntarily, Mr Vahaji said: "No agreement. No improvement in that regard."
He branded as "propaganda" suggestions that people should be sent back, saying it was their right to stay.
"It's their decision, it's not my decision," he said. "If they want to stay under any circumstances, why should I bother them? Let them stay anywhere they want."
He said Iran was hosting 3 million Afghan refugees and Australia should accept like other countries that it simply has to take more asylum- seekers.
"Your country [is] in a position that you have to accept asylum seekers," he said.
Ms Bishop's spokeswoman said on Wednesday after The West Australian report that dealing with the "legacy caseload" of people who arrived by boat was a priority for the government.
But she played down the prospect of any quick deal, saying only that "officials-levels talks are ongoing".
Ms Bishop has keenly sought improved relations with the Middle Eastern powerhouse as it opens up to the world in the wake of the nuclear deal that has spelled the end of many economic sanctions.
But Tehran's refusal to accept the forced return of about 9000 Iranians who are living in limbo, mostly in the community, after their asylum claims were rejected has been a thorny point of frustration for years. Iran will only take back people who go voluntarily and if they can prove they are Iranian.
Mr Vahaji used unusually blunt diplomatic language to attack Australia's immigration policies just days ahead of the visit by Javad Zarif, the first visit by an Iranian foreign minister in 15 years.
He suggested that Australia should scrap programs such as the $55 million Cambodia deal, which has resettled just five refugees, and redirect the money to paying asylum seekers to return home. "Why don't you spend the money for them to go back ...
"One of the encouragements for those who are willing to go back is to tell them for instance this much money we can give to you ... I'm sure many of them of them are going to accept that."
Mr Zarif's visit is a reciprocal trip following Ms Bishop's visit to Iraq last year, in which she signed a deal to share intelligence with Tehran on common security threats such as the so-called Islamic State group.