IRGC of Parsian Reports Arrest of 12 Afghans on Charges of Attempted Kidnapping

The IRGC of Parsian County in western Hormozgan Province announced that it has apprehended 12 "foreign nationals" who allegedly intended to "kidnap" several children and teenagers in this county. Iranian officials typically use the term "nationals" to refer to Afghan citizens residing in Iran, regardless of their legal status. However, the IRGC explicitly identified the nationality of the detainees as Afghan, stating that they "intended to harm and abduct teenagers using a knife threat," and that they were "handed over to the judicial authority" after their arrest. This news comes amid rising sensitivity among some segments of the Iranian population regarding the presence of Afghan migrants in the country, as well as ongoing debates among supporters and opponents of their presence on social media, particularly in recent weeks. A proposal was recently announced in the Iranian Parliament, stating that the population of "foreign nationals" should be reduced by 10% annually. The statement, published late on Saturday, September 7, in Iranian news agencies, indicated that these individuals were caught during a surprise operation ordered by the local judicial authority. However, the statement also mentions the "patrolling" of IRGC agents in Parsian County and joint operations between IRGC and intelligence forces, without clearly indicating whether the agents stumbled upon these individuals by chance or were already aware of their plans. With increasing sensitivities regarding the presence of Afghan nationals in Iran, which has even reached the newspapers, the Iranian Parliament recently announced a proposal that aims to reduce the population of "foreign nationals" residing in Iran by 10% annually and impose restrictions on their residency and employment in various regions of the country. Iranian news agencies reported that according to this proposal, titled "Amendment of the Law on the Entry and Residency of Foreign Nationals in Iran," within three months, the total population of foreign nationals (including the national, spouse, and children) in any city, village, county, or province should not exceed 3% of the total resident and employed population there. This proposal also requires real estate consultants to verify the residency documents of individuals when drafting contracts involving foreign nationals and warns that "failure to verify or register the concluded contract in the national real estate transaction system will result in a fifth-degree monetary penalty." In recent weeks, the term "organizing foreigners," referring specifically to Afghans residing in Iran, has been echoed by several officials of the Islamic Republic in the media.