KABUL, Afghanistan — An Iranian delegation from the Ministry of Justice arrived in Kabul on Wednesday for discussions with Taliban officials concerning the transfer of Afghan prisoners from Iran and Iranian prisoners from Afghanistan, according to Taliban deputy spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat.
The delegation is led by Askar Jalalian, Iran’s Deputy Minister for International Affairs and Human Rights.
Jalalian noted that a prisoner transfer agreement was signed between Iran and Afghanistan in 2006 and that the Taliban remains committed to the accord.
Most Afghan prisoners in Iran, he added, are incarcerated on drug-related charges. The transfers will proceed only with the prisoners’ consent; those unwilling to return will not be repatriated to Afghanistan.
Earlier, Iran’s Ministry of Justice announced plans to repatriate approximately 1,000 Afghan prisoners within the next two months. Jalalian’s visit is aimed at finalizing these arrangements with Taliban authorities. Under the terms of the agreement, Afghan prisoners eligible for transfer exclude those facing capital punishment or other severe sentences.
Jalalian also confirmed that “fewer than 10” Iranian citizens are currently held in Taliban-run prisons. “According to the latest statistics, there are fewer than 10 Iranians imprisoned in Afghanistan, and we are working to facilitate their return to Iran in a reasonable and lawful manner,” he said.
Once transferred, Afghan prisoners will serve out the remainder of their sentences in Afghanistan under local authorities.
