Iran deported 43,000 illegal Afghan immigrants in past month: Report

Kabul: Iran deported 43,000 Afghan illegal immigrants back to their country in the past month, the Taliban-led Refugees and Repatriation Department said, TOLONews reported.

The Taliban-appointed deputy minister of Refugees and Repatriation Abdul Rahman Rashid said that they are trying to solve the problems of the country's immigrants in different countries.

“Almost 46,000 people returned voluntarily and more than 43,000 were deported from the Islamic Republic of Iran because they did not have legal documents and documents to live there,” said Rashid.
Meanwhile, some citizens who recently returned to the country asked the current government to provide them with work.

Nizamuddin, 42, who returned to the country three days ago from Iran, spoke of the challenges he faces.
“They transferred many people in one car; in one car they carried 35 people and that was so difficult for us,” TOLONews quoted Nizamuddin as saying.

“In Afghanistan, there is no work, and education is useless here, when you have a master’s degree still there is no work for you, people flee from hunger to other countries,” said Mohammad Fawad, a deported person.

Based on official statistics, more than 1.6 million Afghans have migrated to neighbouring countries within the past nearly two years.

After the Taliban's return to power, new waves of Afghan refugees shifted to Iran and Pakistan due to various reasons, including fearing death threats and persecution by the Taliban.

Last month in July, over 4,700 Afghan migrants have been deported within 24 hours through the Milak border crossing in Sistan and Baluchestan province, Afghanistan-based Khaama Press reported.

An Iranian border commander said 4,767 "illegal" Afghan immigrants have reportedly been sent back to Afghanistan through the Milak border crossing in Sistan and Baluchistan in the past 24 hours, Khaama Press reported. Immigrant officials mentioned "illegal entry, stay, and passport expiration" as the main reasons for deporting the migrants.

Parviz Ghasemzada, Iran’s border commander for the area, said people from other countries must enter, remain and leave Iran legally, Khaama Press reported citing Tasnim News Agency.

He asserted that anyone trying to enter Iran illegally would be taken to authorities and deported from the country. Ghasemzada further said, "Combating the illegal residence of unauthorized foreigners in Sistan and Baluchistan is seriously on the agenda."