TEHRAN — Police in Golestan, northern Iran, have issued a notice calling on residents to report the presence of Afghan migrants, further tightening restrictions on the country’s large refugee population.
According to Iran’s state-run media, IRIB, the notice warns that employing, renting homes to, or otherwise assisting Afghan migrants is illegal, and violators will face legal action.
“With regard to the consequences of the presence of undocumented foreign nationals and certain unlawful and disruptive actions by some of these individuals in the province, we urge citizens to inform the police if they observe foreign nationals residing or moving in the area,” the notice stated.
Iranian authorities have prioritized the detention and deportation of Afghan migrants, with police saying they are closely monitoring their activities. The notice also instructs Afghans with legal residency to carry their identification documents at all times, warning that failure to do so could result in legal action.
Iran hosts one of the world’s largest Afghan refugee populations, according to the United Nations, but in recent months, it has intensified deportations amid economic pressures and political tensions.
