Ahmad Reza Radan, the commander-in-chief of Iran’s Law Enforcement Forces, has declared that employing undocumented Afghan migrants—referred to by Iranian authorities as “illegal foreigners”—is a ‘crime’ in the country.
In an interview with an Iranian media outlet, Radan stated that Afghan migrants without proper documentation will no longer be allowed to enter Iran, rent homes, or find employment. He added that Iran plans to expel two million undocumented Afghan migrants this year.
“So far, we have arrested and deported 500,000 undocumented Afghan migrants,” Radan said, noting that over 250,000 others have voluntarily returned to Afghanistan.
Radan also emphasized that hiring undocumented Afghan migrants is illegal, urging businesses to report such cases to the authorities.
The crackdown comes amid growing complaints from Afghan migrants in Iran, who say they face police brutality and mistreatment from citizens. Some have reported that, during their forced deportation, Iranian police confiscated their belongings and sent them back to Afghanistan under harsh conditions.
Afghan migrants are calling on international organizations to intervene, citing their human rights and the right to asylum.
A recent study conducted by Amu found that “unemployment” and “poor economic conditions” are the primary reasons driving illegal migration from Afghanistan. The survey, conducted across seven provinces and involving 33 participants, including women, who had experienced illegal migration, revealed that 45.4% of respondents were forced to migrate due to economic hardship, while 9% said they left Afghanistan fearing the possibility of another war following the Taliban’s return to power.
