Iran plans to deport two million Afghans by year end: Minister
Border barriers cut illegal entries 70%
Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni announced Monday that his government plans to deport two million undocumented Afghan migrants by the end of the current Iranian calendar year, as part of a broader crackdown that has already sent 1.2 million people back across the border since March.
The deportation drive reflects Iran’s tougher stance on the estimated six million Afghan nationals living within its borders, many of whom fled to escape Taliban rule and Afghanistan's deepening humanitarian crisis, IRNA reported.
More than 70% of those already deported left "voluntarily," Momeni told reporters upon arriving in the northeastern city of Mashhad, though the UN refugee agency disputes this characterization.
Speaking from Iran's border region with Afghanistan, Momeni emphasized that the deportations follow legal procedures and maintain "human dignity."
He rejected criticism that the policy amounts to anti-migrant sentiment, noting that all countries maintain specific regulations governing foreign nationals.
The minister's visit to Mashhad coincided with his inspection of the Dogharoun border crossing, where authorities have constructed a 130-kilometer section of a planned 953-kilometer barrier wall along Iran's northeastern frontier. The four-meter-high concrete barrier, topped with fencing and equipped with electronic surveillance systems, has cut unauthorized border crossings by 70%, according to Iranian officials.
Border security has become a pressing concern for Tehran, which cites both illegal migration and drug trafficking as key challenges. Provincial officials noted that while traditional opium smuggling has declined, synthetic drug trafficking has surged in recent years.
The deportation campaign gained momentum following Iran's conflict with Israel, with Iranian authorities expressing concerns about potential security risks. Many Afghan families have lived in Iran for years, with some children born on Iranian soil.
UN officials warn that Afghanistan faces one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with mass deportations from neighboring countries exacerbating unemployment and economic instability. The Taliban government has imposed severe restrictions on women's rights and civil liberties since regaining power in 2021.
Iran's crackdown mirrors similar policies in Pakistan, which has also initiated large-scale deportations of Afghan migrants. Both countries hosted millions of Afghans who fled successive waves of conflict over recent decades.
The Dogharoun crossing, operating for over a century, serves as a major transit point between the two nations. The border facility sits 18 kilometers southeast of Taybad city and handles significant commercial traffic alongside the growing stream of deportees.
Momeni indicated that Iran would continue processing cases involving documented migrants through its National Migration Organization, though he stressed that all undocumented residents must eventually return to Afghanistan.