Speaking to reporters in Mashhad on Monday, Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni said over 70 percent of those who left returned voluntarily.
He added that the largest number of departures occurred through border crossings in northeastern Khorasan Razavi province.
Momeni noted that Iran currently hosts more than six million Afghan nationals, many of whom entered legally.
However, he stressed that the government’s priority is the “dignified return” of around two million individuals who entered the country irregularly.
“This policy is not hostility toward migrants,” Momeni said, highlighting Iran’s historic ties with Afghanistan.
“But every country has its own rules, and Iran does not have the capacity to host such large numbers. All undocumented individuals must return to their homeland through legal and respectful processes.”
The minister also said his trip to Mashhad would include discussions on border security.
