RASC News Agency: Following the forced deportation of Afghanistani migrants from neighboring countries, especially Pakistan and Iran, Iranian authorities have announced the forced expulsion of over 12,000 Afghanistani migrants from the province of Qom in the first six months of the current year. The Director-General of Foreign Nationals and Immigration Affairs in the Governorate of Qom stated to the media, “In order to regulate the situation regarding foreign nationals, nearly 12,800 illegal Afghanistani migrants were collected from Qom province and returned to Afghanistan during the first half of the year.”
According to IRNA, Ali Akbar Zarei, the Director of the General Department of Foreign Nationals and Immigration Affairs in the Governorate of Qom, pointed out that Iran shares a 900-kilometer border with Afghanistan and hosts the largest population of refugees in the world, with a majority being Afghanistani. He stated, “In line with the presence of illegal foreign nationals in Iran, law enforcement and border patrol officials take legal action against unauthorized individuals within the country.”
He further added that most Afghanistan nationals who intended to illegally pass through Qom province were apprehended by immigration police and repatriated to their country. Approximately 12,800 Afghanistani migrants who had illegally entered the country were expelled from Qom province during the first half of the year.
He emphasized that unauthorized foreign nationals should leave Iran before the police take action against them; otherwise, they will be expelled from Iran by force if they do not willingly return to their country.
