Araghchi voices Iran’s determination to repatriate illegal Afghans
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday that Tehran is determined to repatriate Afghan volunteer refugees and illegal migrants to Afghanistan as Tehran has begun a plan to deport undocumented Afghan nationals.
During a meeting with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi in the capital, Iran’s top diplomat highlighted Iran’s five decades of hosting Afghan refugees and underscored the Iranian government's commitment to facilitate their voluntary return and to provide a dignified repatriation process for those residing without valid documents.
Araghchi also called on the international community to fulfill its responsibilities and provide the required assistance in the matter.
Grandi, for his part, expressed gratitude for Iran's long history of excellent cooperation with the UNHCR and its service to Afghan refugees.
He expressed hope that, given the cooperation and coordination between the two neighboring countries, the return of Afghan nationals would proceed in a manner that upholds their rights and dignity.
Iran began deporting Afghan refugees in late June.
On Sunday, Malek Hosseini, who leads employment affairs at Iran’s Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare, said that less than 700,000 Afghan refugees have left Iran as part of a program to deport the refugees.
The official also said that less than 10% of the Afghan refugees, or nearly 434,000 people, have the legal documents to live and work in Iran.
Economic experts have warned that any plan for the mass deportation of Afghans from Iran could seriously harm the country’s labor market.