TEHRAN — Nearly 2,000 Afghan doctors, including 700 specialists and subspecialists, are currently working in Iran, a senior Interior Ministry official said this week, highlighting the growing presence of Afghan professionals amid increasing migration.
Nader YarAhmadi, head of the Center for Foreign Nationals and Immigrants Affairs, said many Afghan medical professionals have formal contracts with Iranian universities. However, he acknowledged that Iran’s health care system was slow to recognize their contributions.
“Until a few years ago, our medical system had no plans for these doctors because we had not accepted them as a reality living alongside us,” YarAhmadi said. “We assumed that conditions would improve and they would return.”
YarAhmadi also warned that the continued presence of undocumented Afghan nationals in Iran creates an environment that undermines the integration and full utilization of legal residents.
He further cautioned Iranian employers against hiring undocumented Afghan migrants. “Those who hire them should know that it is illegal,” he said. “When you increase government expenses, you are also burdening yourselves.”
Following the fall of the previous Afghan government in 2021, hundreds of thousands of Afghans fled to neighboring countries, including Iran and Pakistan, seeking safety and opportunity. Many continue to face legal and economic uncertainty.
