38,000 illegal Afghan migrants expelled from Iran’s Kerman province

Approximately 38,000 illegal Afghan nationals have been arrested and deported from Iran’s southeastern Kerman province to their home country, the general commander of Kerman's Law Enforcement Force announced on Monday.

In a meeting with officials of the province, General Nasser Farshid emphasized the need for cooperation from local businesses to prevent the employment of illegal foreign nationals.

Kerman is among the hardest-hit provinces in Iran, facing significant challenges with illegal immigration from neighboring Afghanistan, which has led to population imbalances and increased unemployment.

While Iran has been praised for its inclusive policies, such as allowing Afghan children to attend school regardless of their documentation status, it has also faced criticism for its leniency towards undocumented immigrants.

The recent expulsions are part of the ongoing efforts to meet the target set by the government to repatriate 2 million illegal migrants before the Iranian year ends on March 20.

Earlier this month, General Ahmadreza Radan, the commander of Iran’s Law Enforcement Force, announced that since the initiation of the plan to expel illegal foreign nationals, there has been an increase in both voluntary surrenders and arrests of undocumented migrants.

The number of illegal immigrants in Iran is unofficially estimated to be around 10 million, with many seeking better economic opportunities or fleeing conflict in their home country, especially since in the 2021 takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban.

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