RASC News Agency: Ahmad Qayumi, the Governor of Tehran, recently issued a statement regarding the Iranian government’s determination to deport undocumented foreigners. As reported by Tab Nak, Qayumi discussed this matter with journalists on November 25th. He expressed concerns about the significant number of Afghanistani immigrants identified through the government’s ongoing initiative to detect and deport foreign nationals. Tehran, with a population of nearly nine million, currently accommodates over 800,000 Afghanistani immigrants—an alarming statistic, as per Qayumi’s observations.
Qayumi also emphasized the lack of clarity in the available statistics, stating that the exact number of Afghanistani asylum seekers in Tehran, who remain unidentified, is still unknown. To address this issue, he assured that a specialized plan is being implemented to identify foreign nationals and deport those who have entered the country illegally. The Governor underscored the government’s determination to expel and reject Afghanistani nationals residing in Iran without legal permission, reiterating that such individuals will not be permitted to live, work, or stay in the country.
Despite the Iranian government’s stance, there has been a significant rise in the forced deportation of Afghanistani immigrants from neighboring countries and the region. Numerous Afghanistani immigrants are being deported on a daily basis from these countries and repatriated to Afghanistan. It is important to note that due to factors like decades of conflict, war, and limited employment opportunities in their home country, thousands of Afghanistani immigrants have been residing in neighboring countries and the region for many years. Iran, in particular, has been a host to a large number of Afghanistani immigrants for an extended period, with Afghanistani immigrants constituting the majority of the country’s labor force.
