RASC News Agency: Eskandar Momeni, Iran’s Interior Minister, has announced that since the beginning of this year, 1.1 million Afghanistani refugees have been deported from Iran to Afghanistan. According to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Momeni made these remarks during a special news interview on Saturday, February 1. Momeni stated that Iran currently hosts six million foreign nationals, among whom two million lack even short-term legal residency permits. He further revealed that an estimated 50% of deported Afghanistani migrants have since re-entered Iran.
The minister underscored the deep-rooted historical ties and cultural commonalities between Iran and Afghanistan but stressed that Iran is unable to accommodate such an overwhelming influx of migrants. He pointed to severe limitations in job opportunities and the absence of international assistance as critical challenges in managing the refugee crisis. While the presence of Afghanistani migrants in Iran dates back decades, the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan triggered a dramatic surge in migration. Unemployment, poverty, insecurity, and ethnic persecution under the Taliban have compelled thousands to flee their homeland in search of safety and stability.
Since the Taliban’s takeover, millions of Afghanistani citizens have sought refuge abroad, with the majority fleeing to Iran and Pakistan.
