TEHRAN — An Afghan doctoral student in Iran has accused staff members at the Taliban-run Afghan Embassy in Tehran of physically assaulting him and treating him in a humiliating manner during a recent visit to renew his passport.
Mehr Agha, a Ph.D. candidate in political science at the University of Tehran, said he was beaten by embassy employees during a visit to the consular section. He shared a bloodied photo of himself following the alleged assault and called for an investigation into what he described as abuse of power by embassy staff.
“Unfortunately, I was physically assaulted by employees of the embassy, and I sustained injuries,” he said in a recorded message sent to Amu TV. “I’m demanding that this incident be investigated, that the motive behind the attack be identified, and that those responsible be held accountable under the law.”
The embassy has not responded to requests for comment.
Other Afghan nationals living in Iran have also voiced frustration with the services — or lack thereof — provided by the Taliban-controlled embassy. Some accuse embassy staff of corruption and say they have waited for months, despite holding valid passports and legal documents, without being given a clear timeline for processing requests.
“There is no transparency. We’re forced to wait endlessly for basic services,” said Zakia, an Afghan migrant in Iran. “The Iranian government is deporting Afghans, and the embassy refuses to renew our passports. We have no choice but to turn to the black market and pay high prices.”
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that more than 586,000 Afghan migrants with valid passports currently live in Iran. Many face legal and logistical obstacles, particularly those with expired documents. Some are forced to leave the country, pay penalties, and re-enter on short-term visas — a process that creates ongoing uncertainty and financial strain for thousands of families.
