KABUL/TEHRAN (SW) – A number of Afghan migrants in Iran, expressing concern about their situation, ask the country to stop the forced deportations of migrants.
Rahim Amani, an Afghan migrant in Iran, says he has witnessed several cases of Afghan migrants being detained and deported. “A few days ago, I saw them coming to the workplaces of our fellow countrymen who are working in the streets, alleys, and restaurants. They wear plain clothes, and when they approach, they handcuff the migrants and deport them. We want Iran to stop this process.”
Another Afghan migrant in Iran, Omid Poya, says that migrants, fearing arrest, are secretly securing their basic needs, both food and non-food items. He calls on international organizations to intervene and stop the forced deportations of Afghan migrants.
Omid further mentions, “They can’t even stand in line at bakeries, and they buy goods with fear and anxiety. There have been significant changes over the past six months, and the restrictions have intensified. Migrants are unable to go out to shop. We ask international organizations to prevent the forced deportations of Afghan migrants.”
In recent months, the Iranian government has imposed restrictions on Afghan migrants, including limiting access to employment, education, healthcare, free movement, and housing. Additionally, the employment of Afghan migrants in sectors such as municipal work, workshops, and manufacturing plants has been banned in many cities across Iran.
Another Afghan migrant, Khairullah Moradi, discusses the lack of access to basic services, saying, “Migrants don’t have access to basic services. They face difficulties in obtaining SIM cards, and there are no bank or communication cards, making it impossible for us to contact anyone or anywhere.”
Officials from the Ministry of Repatriations and Refugees (MoRR) of the Islamic Emirate government state they are in talks with Iranian authorities to address the issues faced by Afghan migrants in Iran.
Abdul Mutaleb Haqqani, the spokesperson for the ministry, calls on Iran to cease the forced deportation of Afghan migrants and allow them to return to Afghanistan voluntarily.
He said, “The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriates is always in talks with neighboring countries like Pakistan and Iran. We ask them not to forcibly deport Afghans and allow them to return to their country voluntarily. We also urge Afghan migrants to return to their home country.”
According to statistics previously shared by the Ministry of Repatriations and Refugees, more than 890,000 Afghan migrants have been deported from Iran in the past nine months.
