Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has issued a directive to halt further migration into the capital, citing critical infrastructure limitations, according to Interior Minister Esmail Momeni.
Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Momeni said Tehran can no longer accommodate additional population growth. “Even if we solve the electricity and gas issues, the problem of water supply will remain unsolvable,” he said. The order was issued during Sunday’s cabinet meeting.
Momeni stated that the government’s immediate objective is to prevent any new population influx into Tehran and to maintain current levels. He added that the administration is planning initiatives in other provinces to promote reverse migration away from the capital.
The minister also reiterated the government’s stance on undocumented migrants, stating that "two million undocumented migrants" must leave the country. He said one million migrants, mostly Afghans, have already returned to Afghanistan, and the remainder must also return.
In recent months, Iran has carried out mass deportations of Afghan nationals. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that more than 500,000 Afghans were deported over a 16-day period, an operation described as one of the largest forced displacements in the past decade.
Numerous reports have emerged of abuse during the deportations, including cases resulting in death. Afghan migrants have reported that some employers withheld their wages, and landlords refused to return rental deposits.
