Darya, 24, and Donya, 20, from Gothenburg were forced to leave their studies, family, and friends in Sweden to be deported to Iran in October. They now live with relatives in a tense country, separated from their parents and younger siblings who remained. The longing for their family is intense, and they face uncertainty about their future.
Darya and Donya, who had lived in Sweden for seven years, began their nursing studies at the University West in Trollhättan before the deportation. They arrived in Sweden as children with temporary residence permits through their father, but at age 18, family ties were no longer sufficient grounds to stay. The Swedish Migration Agency denied their work permits, citing incorrect information on job advertising, which the sisters attribute to their employers.
They were advised to apply for study residence permits from Iran, and the university reserved spots for them until March 2026. The application was rejected, however, as the agency deemed they had not proven intent to study. 'We thought we could come back quickly if we just followed the rules,' says Darya.
Upon landing in Iran, they describe a shock: 'When we landed in Iran, it felt like everything collapsed at once.' They live with relatives, but internet is unstable and calls home often disconnect. The situation in Iran is tense following protests suppressed with violence; according to some sources, up to 30,000 people have been killed.
Swedish authorities have halted deportations to Iran and advise against travel there. The father has permanent residence, the mother awaits a decision, and the younger siblings are Swedish citizens. One sibling has significant care needs, and the sisters were an important support. Mother Foziyeh says: 'Their rooms are silent now. Every time I open the door and see they are not there, I feel how loneliness fills the entire home.'
The sisters have lost parts of their Persian language, and their Swedish high school diploma does not qualify them for studies in Iran. 'It hurts in a way that is hard to describe,' says Darya about the longing. Donya adds: 'We didn't just leave a country, we left our daily life, our friends, our routines, and the future we had built over many years.'
