New migration trends of Iranian migrants to Turkey: The case of Antalya

Turkey, due to its geographical location, functions as both a transit and destination country for migrants from diverse backgrounds. The Sharia-based governance system and religious pressures institutionalized after the 1979 Iranian Islamic Revolution have generated significant political and social problems in Iran, thereby constituting major push factors for migration. Although Turkey is a signatory to the 1951 Geneva Convention, it recognizes only migrants of European origin as refugees due to the geographical limitation. Consequently, Iranian migrants often regard Turkey as a temporary stopover or, having initially migrated with this intention, eventually settle permanently. The main purpose of this study is to examine the new migration tendencies towards Turkey that have emerged since 1980, shaped by the influence of the Sharia regime on individuals. Based on Everett Lee's Push–Pull Theory, religious and political pressures in Iran are analyzed as "push factors," the relatively free living conditions in Turkey as "pull factors," and the decision-making process of migration as "personal factors." One of the key findings of this study is that, due to participants' educational background and prior knowledge about the destination country, intermediate barriers were not revealed during the migration process. Data obtained from semi-structured interviews conducted in 2024 with Iranian migrants residing in Antalya were analyzed through thematic analysis. The findings indicate that religious oppression, gender-based discrimination, violations of sexual orientation rights, and the suppression of political dissent are among the main triggers of migration. Moreover, migrations driven by such factors share similar characteristics with those observed historically. Nevertheless, in recent years, Iranian migrants who have come to Turkey for political reasons have revealed new migration tendencies. The primary determinants of these new tendencies are higher levels of education, prior touristic visits to the destination country, and a relatively high standard of economic welfare.