Afghanistan, the Middle East, and Africa
Rina Amiri: From Afghanistan to American Diplomacy
Became a refugee as a small child when her family left Afghanistan through the Khyber Pass.
- Fled
- Afghanistan
- Status
- Refugee
- Arrived in the U.S.
- 1970s
- Service
- Senior adviser to the Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan; U.S. Special Envoy for Afghan Women, Girls, and Human Rights (2022 to 2025)
- Region
- Afghanistan, the Middle East, and Africa
Rina Amiri was about four years old when her parents left Afghanistan secretly through the Khyber Pass. The family lived in Pakistan and India before settling in California.
She served at the Department of State as a senior adviser to the Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan and later as U.S. Special Envoy for Afghan Women, Girls, and Human Rights.
Read the history behind this story on the Afghanistan page, or browse all the diplomats.