Iran Steps Up Deportations Of Afghans, Schedules Talks With Taliban
Iran is intensifying efforts to deport undocumented Afghan migrants through planned meetings with Taliban representatives, an Iranian provincial official said.
Iran is intensifying efforts to deport undocumented Afghan migrants through planned meetings with Taliban representatives, an Iranian provincial official said.
Mansour Bijar, governor of Sistan and Baluchestan province, confirmed on Sunday, 6 July, that discussions have been scheduled with Taliban officials to streamline the expulsion process. He said the initiative targets only those without legal documentation.
“The return of Afghan nationals continues, and all relevant agencies in Iran have been mobilised,” Bijar stated.
He reported a significant rise in the number of Afghan nationals returning via Iran’s eastern borders, particularly through the Melak and Khorasan Razavi crossings. While local return camps in Sistan and Baluchestan have capacity for about 3,000 people, Bijar said as many as 14,000 individuals had recently sought repatriation to Afghanistan.
According to Bijar, more than 75,000 undocumented Afghan migrants have left Iran in the past two weeks, with over 75 percent doing so voluntarily. He added that Iranian authorities are providing transportation, food, and healthcare services at border points.
