Iskandar Momeni, Iran’s interior minister, said on Tuesday that about six million Afghans are currently living in the country, with nearly two million lacking legal status, and warned that those without proper documents must leave.
Momeni told Iranian media recently that Tehran has already expelled close to one million Afghans since the start of the year. He claimed that about 70 percent of those departures were “voluntary and conducted with dignity and respect.”
That account, however, contrasts sharply with reports from international organizations, which have documented widespread forced deportations. More than 70 percent of Afghans expelled from Iran were forced to leave, rights groups have said, often facing beatings, confiscation of belongings and other abuses along the way.
Iran has long been a destination for Afghans fleeing conflicts, poverty and repression at home, but the government has tightened restrictions in recent years as economic pressures mount.
Momeni insisted that Iran can no longer absorb more arrivals. “Every country has its own laws,” he said. “Those who are in Iran illegally must leave.”
Iran has increased the deportation of Afghan migrants since the start of July. Over the past week, at least 12,000 migrants are deported daily from Iran, while it was almost 20,000 to 30,000 individuals a day. Many deported migrants have reported mistreatment and abuse by Iranian authorities.
