TEHRAN — Iran has deported roughly three million Afghan migrants over the past three years, a senior Iranian official said on Saturday, underscoring the challenges faced by both countries amid waves of migration prompted by instability in Afghanistan.
Nader Yar Ahmadi, who heads the Center for Foreign Nationals and Migrants Affairs at Iran’s Interior Ministry, attributed the influx to deteriorating conditions in Afghanistan. Speaking at a parliamentary meeting on January 4, he said the Iranian police would enforce strict measures to address the growing number of undocumented migrants.
“The legal residents among these migrants hold identification cards issued by service-providing agencies and receive various services,” Mr. Ahmadi said, adding that many legal migrants are well-educated and contribute to various sectors in Iran. He noted that approximately 700 Afghan professionals, including medical doctors, are employed in Iranian hospitals.
The announcement comes amid a crackdown on undocumented migrants in southeastern Iran. In the city of Saravan, police detained 115 Afghan nationals in a recent operation, according to the city’s police commander, Hossein Ali Sancholi.
Meanwhile, the Taliban-run Bakhtar News Agency reported that 304 Afghan families returned from Iran last week. Of those, 124 families crossed back into Afghanistan through the Pul-e-Abrisham border in Nimroz Province, while 180 used the Islam Qala crossing in Herat Province.
Iran has long served as a destination for Afghan migrants and refugees, particularly following decades of conflict in Afghanistan. However, worsening economic conditions in Iran, coupled with strained resources, have led to heightened tensions over migration policies.
