2025-05-17T18:06:00Z

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The Iranian government has made a significant announcement regarding its migrant population, stating that it will deport millions of undocumented migrants. This decision emphasizes the regime's priority of repatriating these individuals to their home countries, with a particular focus on those from Afghanistan.

In a recent statement, Iran's Interior Minister, Eskandar Momeni, revealed that the country has already deported nearly two million illegal migrants. He attributed this action to increasing economic pressures and a growing concern for social cohesion within the nation. Momeni explained that Iran can no longer accommodate the vast number of migrants, many of whom have sought refuge from the turmoil in their home country.

“Iran has hosted millions of migrants for decades due to regional instability,” Momeni stated, highlighting the historical and cultural ties that Iran shares with its neighboring nations. However, he pointed out that the country is neither economically nor socially equipped to handle such a large influx of people at this time. He continued, “Despite having numerous religious, historical, and cultural commonalities with neighboring countries, the country simply has no more capacity for illegal refugees. Our top priority is to send them back to their home countries.”

According to reports from the Tehran Times, Nader Yar-Ahmadi, the head of the National Organisation for Migration, estimated that around 6.1 million Afghan nationals are currently residing in Iran, both authorized and unauthorized. The situation has become increasingly critical, as the United Nations describes Iran as host to “one of the largest and most protracted urban refugee situations in the world.” The UN has noted that Iran has provided asylum to refugees for over four decades, largely due to the ongoing crises in Afghanistan.

The UN further elaborated on the timeline of Afghan displacement, stating, “Forty-two years on since the 1979 Soviet invasion and the subsequent waves of violence, displacement from Afghanistan continues in the longest protracted refugee situation covered under UNHCR’s mandate.” Alarmingly, nearly five million Afghans remain displaced outside of their homeland, with 90% of these individuals finding refuge in Iran and Pakistan.

This mass deportation is expected to have profound implications for the already strained relations between migrants and local populations in Iran, especially as the country grapples with its economic challenges. The decision raises important questions about the future of Afghan refugees in the region, particularly as they face the prospect of returning to an unstable and dangerous environment in Afghanistan.