TEHRAN — Iranian authorities have shuttered a well-known café in the capital, Tehran, that was owned by an Afghan migrant, citing violations related to the employment of undocumented workers and a lack of proper licensing.
The closure of “Kabul Café,” a popular gathering spot, was reported Wednesday by the Tasnim News Agency. Officials alleged that the café had employed “undocumented foreign nationals” and had become a meeting place for Afghan migrants lacking legal residency documents.
The action reflects an intensifying crackdown on Afghan migrants in Iran, where authorities have been increasingly vocal about their efforts to deport individuals without proper documentation. Officials have also warned employers of severe penalties for hiring undocumented workers.
In a related development, Abolfazl Abutorabi, a member of Iran’s Parliament Commission on Councils and Internal Affairs, announced plans to introduce a unified identification and banking card for migrants. The proposed card, he said, would consolidate personal and financial details into a single electronic platform.
“The dual-purpose card will feature banking functions on one side and the migrant’s identification details, including a 10-digit residency code, on the other,” Abutorabi told the Tasnim News Agency.
Iran, which hosts millions of Afghan refugees and migrants, has seen a sharp increase in arrivals since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in 2021. However, the government’s tightening measures signal a push to manage the influx more stringently, placing pressure on both migrants and those who provide them employment or shelter.
