Police chief: 850,000 undocumented Afghan migrants expelled from Iran

The chief of Iran’s Law Enforcement Forces announced on Monday that 850,000 illegal Afghan migrants have been repatriated from Iran, as part of a broader plan to deport 2 million illegal residents by the end of the Iranian year, which ends on March 20.

Answering a question posed by Tasnim News Agency, General Ahmad Reza Radan emphasized that the police are committed to ensuring that illegal foreign nationals cannot find employment or settle in the country.

He highlighted that some of these individuals voluntarily surrendered, while others were identified and arrested.

When asked whether the expulsion of illegal foreign nationals would impact crime reduction, General Radan affirmed that it would. However, he noted that the precise results would need to be evaluated over the long term.

The step aligns with Iran’s ongoing efforts to address social and economic challenges linked to millions of illegal migrants from neighboring Afghanistan.

With a considerable influx of migrants, primarily from Afghanistan, Iran has aimed to balance the impacts of undocumented residents on resources and security.

The increased enforcement reflects broader national policies aimed at maintaining control over demographic shifts and protecting the domestic job market.

Unofficial sources put the number Afghan refugees in Iran at 10 million.

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