Iranian authorities have restricted Afghan migrants to residing in seven designated counties within Kerman Province, according to Mehdi Bakhshi, the province’s attorney. The decision, he said, is based on a directive from Iran’s Interior Ministry aimed at regulating the presence of Afghan nationals in the region.
Bakhshi emphasized that the population of Afghan migrants in Kerman must be closely monitored. Speaking to Mehr News Agency on Monday, he also warned that employers who hire foreign nationals without proper authorization face stiff penalties. “Employers will be fined five times the minimum daily wage for each day of illegal employment of a foreign worker,” he said.
The attorney highlighted broader concerns surrounding undocumented migrants, stating that their unauthorized movement has facilitated the rise of illegal transportation networks. These networks, he said, are often linked to security threats.
Bakhshi cited a “terrorist incident” on January 3, 2024, in Kerman, in which suicide attackers used routes commonly exploited by human smugglers to enter the province. He explained that the individuals operating these transportation networks are often young and educated, with many holding university degrees. While some have no prior criminal records, financial hardship and a lack of job opportunities have driven them to participate in such activities.
This announcement comes amid significant migratory movements in the region. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported on January 23 that 983,055 Afghan migrants returned to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan over the last three months of 2023, either voluntarily or through deportation. During the same period, approximately 740,000 Afghan citizens left Afghanistan, underscoring the ongoing instability and economic challenges faced by the country.
These developments reflect the complex and often fraught dynamics of migration in the region, as Afghan citizens grapple with displacement and host countries like Iran seek to manage the challenges of accommodating large migrant populations.
