TEHRAN—Iranian authorities have detained 250,000 Afghan migrants in the current solar year, which began on March 22, 2024, and will take legal action against those who facilitate their employment and housing, the governor of Tehran said.
Mohammad Sadegh Motamedian, the capital’s governor, said undocumented Afghan migrants would be deported through the Khavaran camp, a facility used by Iran for processing and expelling unauthorized foreigners.
“Unauthorized foreigners, after being identified, will be returned to their country through Khavaran camp,” Motamedian said, according to the Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA).
He added that Iran’s Ministry of Interior had implemented a province-wide plan to identify undocumented Afghan migrants. “Identified unauthorized foreigners are transferred to camps and returned to their countries through official borders,” he said.
Iranian authorities have also urged undocumented Afghans to voluntarily report to the Khavaran camp to facilitate their return, Motamedian said.
Crackdown on employers and landlords
Beyond detaining and deporting migrants, the Iranian government is also taking steps to penalize businesses and individuals who employ or provide housing to unauthorized Afghans.
“According to the law, we have implemented preventive measures against businesses and centers that employ unauthorized foreigners,” Motamedian said. He added that businesses found violating the restrictions had been shut down and that authorities would “certainly use legal means to deal with those involved in the illegal employment and housing of unauthorized foreigners.”
Iran has long been a major destination for Afghan refugees fleeing conflict and economic hardship. According to the United Nations, Iran hosts nearly four million Afghans, making it one of the largest host countries for Afghan migrants.
Iran has previously expressed concerns about the growing number of undocumented migrants, citing economic strains and security risks. The latest crackdown comes amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Kabul, as well as increasing pressure on Afghan migrants across the region.
