Iran Begins Process of Identifying & Deporting Illegal Foreign Nationals

On Saturday, Alexandra Mastavaja, on X social platform asked the Taliban to immediately release her husband from prison.

Morteza Behboudi arrived in Kabul in January 2023 to report on the situation in Afghanistan, and the Taliban arrested him two days later.

Reporters Without Borders had previously said that the Taliban arrested Behboudi on the suspicion of "espionage", but they did not provide any evidence to prove the accusation.

His detention has faced widespread reactions during the past months. Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders had repeatedly called for his immediate and unconditional release.

These UN agencies in a statement on Saturday, stressed that the return of Afghans should be dignified and voluntary.

Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey have recently increased the deportation of illegal Afghan refugees and migrants. During the past few months, thousands of Afghan refugees have been forcibly deported from these countries.

UNHCR and IOM asked Pakistan to suspend the deportation of migrants.

According to these two UN agencies, Afghans could face imminent risks if they are forced to return to Afghanistan.

The interim government of Pakistan recently approved the plan to deport more than 1.73 million Afghan refugees. According to the Pakistani authorities, these immigrants will be gradually deported.

However, UNHCR and IOM said that Afghanistan is facing a severe humanitarian crisis with several human rights challenges, especially for women and girls, and the forced deportation of Afghans will have serious consequences.

At the same time, these institutions have announced that they are ready to provide support for a mechanism to register and manage Afghans, including those who need international support.

The joint statement of both orginsations stated that the forced return of Afghans could lead to severe human rights violations.

In recent days, the Taliban and a large number of Afghan political figures in exile have asked Pakistan to stop the forced deportation of Afghans.

An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 shook northwest Afghanistan, including Herat, on Saturday.

Nisar Ahmad Elias, Taliban’s spokesperson for the governor of Herat, said that the earthquake on Saturday left "huge human and financial losses" and so far, dozens of wounded have been transferred to the Herat regional hospital.

He added that the earthquake started around 11AM and shook Herat city and the districts of the province. He added that the group is fully prepared to assist those affected by the earthquake.

Earlier, the Iranian Embassy in Kabul declared its readiness to receive and channel international aid to the earthquake victims in Herat, in line with humanitarian cooperation.

The exact number of casualties and damage caused by the earthquake has not yet been published. However, some social media users have published pictures of the Herat Grand Mosque and some residential houses, which show that a part of one of the mosque's minarets has suffered damages and its tiles have fallen.

Pictures published of residential houses show that the brick walls have collapsed and in one of these pictures, a taxi is under the rubble.

On Saturday, several earthquakes shook western Afghanistan, according to the US Geological Survey, the magnitude of the first and largest was 6.3.

According to the report, some of the aftershocks of the earthquake had magnitudes of 5.5, 4.7 and 5.9, the last of which occurred 35 kilometres northwest of Herat city.

The German Geological Centre has announced the first earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2.

Pictures received by Afghanistan International show that the residents of Herat of Afghanistan and Mashhad of Iran [capital of Khorasan Razavi province of Iran which is in the border with Herat] gathered in the streets after the earthquake.

Images show crowds of people who have left their homes and escaped to the streets.

Salimi said that Afghans have invested from 300,000 dollars up to 10 million dollars in Iran.

On Friday, Iranian media outlets citing Hossein Salimi, reported that among foreign investors in Iran, Afghans occupy the first position, followed by Chinese in the second place, and Iraqis in the third place.

Salimi mentioned that while the number of permits granted to foreign investors in Iran has risen, the country is still lagging behind Turkey and the nations in the Persian Gulf.

After the Taliban’s takeover of power in Afghanistan, many Afghan citizens from different social classes have entered Iran.

However, the Iranian government has deported thousands of Afghans to Afghanistan in the past few months, and recently the deportation process has intensified.

Pictures received by Afghanistan International over the past few days indicate that Afghan immigrants are being attacked in some Iranian cities.

According to Iranian officials, nearly five million Afghans live in Iran.

The statement was issued after a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Moscow.

Mirziyoyev arrived in Moscow on October 5. He met Vladimir Putin on Friday.

The joint statement read, "Priority will be given to achieving peace and stability in Afghanistan, which fully supports the security and development interests of Central Asia and its neighbours."

Russia and Uzbekistan, like other countries, do not recognise the Taliban.

Moscow and Tashkent have repeatedly asked the Taliban to fight against terrorists, form an inclusive government, and respect the rights of minorities, and international laws.

In the last two years, ISIS-K launched several rocket attacks on Uzbekistan from Afghanistan soil. Also, in a suicide attack conducted by ISIS, two Russian diplomats were killed on September 5, 2022.

Putin and Mirziyoyev have emphasised that the United Nations should play the main coordinating role in improving the situation in Afghanistan.

The statement also said that Russia and Uzbekistan condemn any discrimination based on race, ethnicity, or religion in any form.

Putin and Mirziyoyev have said that in accordance with international laws and obligations, they will take effective measures to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms and combat racism and racial discrimination.

Respecting ethnic groups and religions as well as preventing the proliferation of extremist ideologies are among the key priorities emphasised by the leaders of Russia and Uzbekistan.