The Philippines and the Islamic Republic of Iran have revived formal consular dialogue after nearly a decade, holding the 7th Philippines-Iran Joint Consular Consultation Meeting (JCCM) in Tehran on December 3, underscoring the growing importance of protecting nationals and managing migration-linked ties between the two countries.
The talks were significant given the highly relational nature of Philippine-Iran migration, with around 1,180 Filipinos in Iran (mostly permanent residents married to Iranian nationals) and a comparable number of Iranians in the Philippines, many of them students and members of mixed Filipino-Iranian families.
These communities have made consular coordination crucial, particularly during periods of regional tension.
Led by DFA Assistant Secretary Anne Jalando-on Louis and Iran’s Director General for Consular Affairs Mojtaba Shasti Karimi, the meeting reviewed cooperation on visa and immigration matters, judicial concerns, and assistance to nationals, while reaffirming commitments first discussed when the JCCM last convened in 2016.
Both sides also explored non-traditional areas of cooperation, including health tourism and sports, and discussed Philippine consular modernization initiatives such as the e-Visa system, the New Philippine Passport Act, the planned Digital Nomad Visa, and the shift to e-Apostille services.
The resumption of the JCCM highlights both countries’ intent to sustain dialogue amid modest but deeply interconnected migration flows, with the Philippines offering to host the next round of consultations in Manila at a mutually agreed date.