TEHRAN — Nader Yara Ahmadi, an advisor to Iran’s Minister of Interior, announced on Sunday that Afghan nationals are prohibited from residing or working in Mazandaran province, even for short periods, though they are allowed to visit with a tourist visa.
Speaking during a visit to Mazandaran, Mr. Ahmadi described the northern province as a restricted area for certain foreign nationals, particularly Afghans. “These individuals, who can legally reside in certain provinces, are absolutely prohibited from working or residing in Mazandaran, even legally,” he emphasized, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.
Mr. Ahmadi explained that under resolutions from Iran’s National Security Council, provinces have been divided into permitted and restricted zones for Afghan nationals.
“Every year, a large number of Afghan nationals travel to Mazandaran on tourist visas. Unfortunately, some employers hire them, which can pose security risks,” he said. “Employers should not hire individuals whose identities are unclear to us.”
Strained capacity and border controls
Referring to the influx of refugees from Afghanistan in recent years, Mr. Ahmadi said that while Iran had previously welcomed Afghan migrants and provided them with resources, it no longer has the capacity to do so.
“Given Afghanistan’s conditions and developments, we cannot remain indifferent. In the past, we accepted a number of people as refugees and provided them with facilities, but now we are facing serious limitations,” he stated.
To address concerns over illegal immigration, Mr. Ahmadi revealed that Iran is constructing border walls to prevent unauthorized entry of Afghan citizens. Biometric testing, including fingerprint and iris scanning, is being conducted on all individuals detained at border checkpoints and other locations.
“It is impossible for anyone who is detained not to be identifiable,” Mr. Ahmadi added.
The announcement comes amid frequent complaints from Afghan migrants in Iran about mistreatment and uncertainty regarding their legal status. Taliban-controlled media recently reported that more than 374 Afghan migrant families returned to Afghanistan over the past week.
Iran currently hosts the world’s largest population of Afghan migrants, according to the United Nations. However, the growing restrictions on their movement and employment highlight the mounting challenges faced by refugees in the region.
