The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation has announced that during a meeting between the acting Minister and the Iranian Ambassador and Special Representative for Afghanistan, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, an agreement was made to send a delegation from Kabul to Iran to address the challenges faced by Afghan migrants.
In the meeting, Khalil Rahman Haqqani, the acting Minister of Refugees and Repatriation, stated that the Islamic Emirate aims to repatriate Afghan migrants from Iran to Afghanistan, but this process requires a coordinated joint plan.
Abdul Mutalib Haqqani, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation, told TOLOnews: “The Minister of Refugees and Repatriation expressed his appreciation for Iran’s 40-year hosting of Afghan migrants and added that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has also decided to repatriate refugees to the country. However, for this to happen, a joint mechanism must be established to ensure that the process is carried out with dignity.”
The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation also stated that Hassan Kazemi Qomi, in this meeting, referred to the mistreatment of Afghan migrants as propaganda from opposing factions and emphasized that Tehran is committed to all the rights of migrants.
On the other hand, the Vice Chairman of the Judicial and Legal Commission of the Iranian Parliament has said that to reduce the number of Afghan nationals imprisoned in Iran, an agreement is being sought with the interim government for the transfer of judicial convicts between the two countries. According to Iranian media reports, during a visit to the construction of a prison in Taybad, Osman Salari has said that a large number of inmates in Taybad Prison are Afghan citizens.
Iranian media quoted Osman Salari as saying: “With the aim of reducing the population of criminal convicts in Taybad Prison, we are seeking an agreement for the transfer of judicial convicts between the two countries, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the judicial authorities of Afghanistan. This process has previously been carried out through the official border crossing of Dogharoon in recent years.”
Nazir Nazari, an advocate for migrant rights, told TOLOnews: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, when the host country decides on the forced deportation of migrants, must make the necessary diplomatic efforts to resolve their challenges.”
Previously, the Islamic Emirate had requested Tehran to hand over Afghan citizens imprisoned in Iran for various crimes to Kabul so that they could be punished according to Afghan laws.