Many Afghans fled to neighboring Iran after the Taliban came to power in August 2021. The UN refugee agency estimates that there are nearly 4.5 million Afghan refugees in Iran, but Iranian media reports suggest that the number is far higher. Now the mullahs’ regime is planning mass deportations of Afghan citizens without legal residency.
“The presence of illegal refugees in the country has not only caused social harm, but they also deprive local people of jobs,” Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni said, according to a report by state broadcaster IRIB. Therefore, the intention is to immediately deport illegal refugees. According to reports, the deportation should be completed by the end of the Persian year (March 20, 2025).
The aim is also to create jobs for Iranians
In recent months, the large number of Afghan refugees in Iran has led to heated domestic political debates. For employers, they are cheaper workers without insurance and tax obligations. In the capital Tehran, many of them work in the low-wage sector, for example in small supermarkets or on construction sites. The new government of President Massud Pezeshkian also wants to create more jobs for Iranians through mass deportations.
Long border difficult to control
Persistent conflict, extreme poverty and high unemployment force thousands of Afghans to cross the border into Iran illegally every year. Because the border stretches 945 kilometers through largely uninhabited areas, Iranian border officials have difficulty preventing illegal border crossings. As a result, many Afghans could return to Iran at any time, even after deportation.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
