Iranian authorities are expelling around 350 undocumented Afghan migrants from Khorasan Razavi Province each day. Mohammad Ali Nabipour, the province’s deputy governor for political, security, and social affairs, confirmed the deportations, calling them “forced.”
Speaking to Tasnim News Agency, Nabipour said he hopes to speed up the deportation process. He also criticised opposition to the expulsions, accusing “certain political groups” of trying to retain foreign nationals in Iran for political reasons.
Iranian officials frequently refer to Afghan migrants as “foreign nationals.” During a press conference on Saturday, Nabipour stated that the Iranian public supports the deportations. He argued that “resources should not be shared between foreigners and fellow citizens.”
The crackdown comes amid increasing restrictions on Afghan migrants in Iran. In recent months, authorities have banned Afghans from working and renting homes in several cities.
The human rights organisation Hengaw has warned of growing anti-Afghan sentiment in Iran. In a statement, it reported a rise in both state-sponsored and social discrimination against Afghan migrants.
