Gholam Hossein Mozaffari, the governor of Khorasan Razavi province in Iran, announced on Tuesday that approximately 1,800 undocumented Afghan migrants are deported from the border each day. He also noted that between 2,000 and 3,000 Afghans legally enter Iran daily.
During a visit to a migrant camp in Mashhad, Mozaffari highlighted concerns over Afghan migrants who enter Iran with valid permits but remain in the country after their visas expire.
He stressed that even legal migration requires careful regulation, stating that Afghans entering Iran should have a clear purpose. “If they are coming for work, they must obtain a work visa. If they are visiting as tourists, they should arrive as part of an organised tour or group,” he added.
Speaking to Iranian media, Mozaffari expressed hope that Afghanistan’s social and economic conditions would improve, reducing the need for migration.
He also emphasised Iran’s interest in fostering economic opportunities at the Afghan border to encourage joint investments. “Our goal is to create employment opportunities in border areas so that Afghan workers entering Iran can reside there instead of migrating further into the country,” he stated.
