A number of Afghan migrants in Iran have told TOLOnews that Afghan citizens, despite holding legal documents, have been arrested and deported by Iranian police in recent days and weeks.
Afghan migrants in Iran have called on the interim government to seriously address their challenges.
“The Islamic Republic police do not value our documents. A few nights ago, when I went out to get something I needed, they arrested me,” Khalid Sultani, an Afghan migrant in Iran, told TOLOnews.
These migrants emphasize that job restrictions, arrests, and deportations have increased more than ever in recent days.
“There are challenges that migrants face. The host country’s policy is based on returning undocumented migrants, but even legal migrants face difficulties due to the large number of migrants in the country,” said Asadullah Zairi, another Afghan migrant in Iran.
Meanwhile, Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, has said that efforts are being made to ensure Afghan migrants abroad do not face problems. He reiterated his call for Afghan migrants who left the country illegally to return.
The spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate said: “The Islamic Emirate has made every effort to ensure that our migrants in neighboring countries do not face problems. If they do encounter issues, efforts are made to resolve them to some extent. Yes, our migrants in Iran have had their challenges, and we have seriously addressed migrant issues during meetings with Iranian officials. Additionally, we have invited undocumented migrants to return to their own country.”
This comes as the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a recent report on Friday that the return rate of Afghans to Afghanistan decreased by three percent in the past week compared to the previous week.