Iran to deport Afghan immigrants lacking permits: Interior Minister Ahmad Wahidi
Nov 30, 2023
Kabul [Afghanistan], November 30 : Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Wahidi has said the country will deport Afghan immigrants who lack permits, TOLO News reported.
TOLO News is an Afghan news channel broadcasting from Kabul.
The Minister of Interior of Iran asked the Islamic Emirate to provide conditions for the return of Afghan immigrants, and Afghan immigrants who do not have legal documents for residence will be deported, TOLO News reported.
As per Iranian media reports, Wahidi said that there are currently 5 million Afghan refugees living in Iran.
Wahidi said: "Based on our figures, there are currently around five million people. There are two parts that have been fully explained before, a part of them do not have permits which should be deported", as per TOLO News.
Meanwhile, the Taliban-appointed second Deputy Prime Minister of Afghanistan Abdul Salam Hanafi asked the citizens of the country and aid institutions to help the immigrants who have returned to the country.
According to Hanafi, so far more than 400,000 Afghan immigrants have returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan.
"The immigrants who were forcibly expelled from our neighbouring countries against all national and international norms, have returned to their homeland, and the Islamic Emirate has provided them services with all the possible means it had," Hanafi said, according to TOLO News.
Some refugee rights activists expressed concerns regarding the situation of Afghan immigrants in Iran.
Immigrants' rights activist Mohammad Khan Talibi said: "The Afghan immigrants in Iran are facing challenges due to not having legal living permits."
