Fatemeh Mohajerani, spokesperson for the Iranian government, has said that under Iranian law, Afghan migrants with valid documents are permitted to reside in the country, while those without documentation will be deported.
“Certainly, the government distinguishes between Afghans with documents and those without,” Mohajerani said.
Iranian domestic media reported Saturday, 7 June, that the spokesperson added: “The government’s focus is on returning undocumented foreigners to their countries and granting residence permits to those who are documented, in accordance with the law.”
According to Mohajerani, the Islamic Republic is determined to deport undocumented Afghan migrants.
These statements come amid growing reports from Afghan citizens who have shared videos with Afghanistan International, claiming that they were arrested and deported by Iranian police despite holding valid visas and legal documents.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) previously reported that in May, 15,675 Afghan families were forcibly returned from Iran to Afghanistan. Of these, 11,201 families were deported, nearly twice the number recorded in April.
The sharp increase in the return of Afghan migrants from Iran, along with intensified forced deportations from Pakistan, has created serious challenges for Afghanistan. Despite this, the Taliban authorities are cooperating with the Iranian government on the deportation and return of Afghan migrants.
