Interior Ministry: We expelled 3 million Afghan nationals, but they returned to Iran

The head of the Foreign Nationals and Immigrants Affairs Center of the Interior Ministry states that approximately three million 'illegal nationals' have been expelled from the country over the past three years, but due to the 'harsh conditions prevailing in Afghanistan,' these individuals have returned to Iran. Nader Yarahmadi said on Saturday, January 5, that the police will 'firmly pursue' the expulsion of these nationals again. This official did not explain how the process of expulsion and their return to Afghanistan will occur. Previously, the Minister of Interior under the Pezeshkian government had also repeatedly stated that Iran can no longer 'host' millions of Afghan nationals. The head of the Foreign Nationals and Immigrants Affairs Center also categorized Afghan nationals into two groups, stating: 'The first group consists of those who are legal and have received cards from service agencies over the years, which entitle them to services.' According to Mr. Yarahmadi, many of these individuals are educated, and nearly 700 specialized doctors from Afghanistan are working in the country's hospitals. He identified the second group as those who entered the country due to the war conditions in Afghanistan and are working 'illegally' for some employers in Iran, expressing that they do not wish to leave the country. He noted that the biggest problem relates to this group, and the Interior Ministry is trying to manage this issue by negotiating with Iranian employers to impose restrictions on illegal nationals. Iran has hosted millions of Afghan citizens over the past four decades during various political crises in this neighboring eastern country. However, since early 1402 (March 2023), a few months after the fall of Kabul and the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan, the influx of citizens from this country into Iran has accelerated. The Army Ground Forces reported that more than ten kilometers of wall have been built at the border with Afghanistan. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, there have also been reports of Afghan military personnel being dispatched from Iran to fight against Russia in Ukraine, although the exact numbers of these dispatched forces are unclear, and Iranian officials have not commented on this. In such circumstances, many former Afghan military personnel currently in Iran either have to face expulsion and fall into the hands of the Taliban or join a war that Russia began in 2022 by occupying parts of Ukraine and is still ongoing. The International Organization for Migration reported that the number of Afghan migrants residing in Iran by autumn 1403 is 3 million 750 thousand, with over two million Afghan migrants also living in Pakistan. The Iranian Interior Ministry has previously identified frequent movements as one of the issues concerning illegal and foreign nationals and announced that part of the measures considered to prohibit their entry includes physical border closures and wall construction.