Tehran — The governor of Tehran, Mohammad Sadegh Motamedian, has issued a warning that undocumented Afghan migrants will be arrested and deported. He also indicated that Afghan migrants with legal status but working in unauthorized sectors in Tehran would face repercussions.
“We have two missions concerning migrants,” Mr. Motamedian said in an interview with ILNA, a semi-official news agency. “Our first mission relates to managing those who are legally present in Tehran Province.”
For legal migrants, the governor outlined efforts to address issues such as employment and housing through task forces and commissions established by the Tehran Governor’s Office in coordination with the Ministry of Interior. “We are working on drafting a roadmap and organizing plans to manage these matters,” he added.
However, Mr. Motamedian took a harder stance on undocumented migrants, emphasizing that legal measures are being carried out by security forces. “Undocumented and illegal migrants are being processed in accordance with the law. Following the established legal procedures, these individuals are being deported through shared borders with Afghanistan,” he said.
This development comes as both Iran and Pakistan have ramped up deportations of Afghan migrants in recent months. The increase has drawn criticism from humanitarian organizations.
Jan Egeland, secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, recently expressed concern over the mass deportations, warning that Afghanistan is not equipped to handle the return of large numbers of migrants.
