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Radan announced the 'expulsion' of two million 'foreign nationals' by the end of the year

Feb 3, 2026 February 3, 2026 2 min read 📰 VOA Persian
📋 Key Takeaway

Ahmadreza Radan announced plans to expel two million illegal foreign nationals from Iran by year-end, while Minister Iskandar Momeni highlighted the challenges of accommodating migrants, particularly from Afghanistan. This situation raises concerns about the treatment of migrants and the reliability of official statistics.

🔍 Quick Context Guide
💡 Bottom Line: Iran's plan to expel millions of migrants highlights the country's ongoing immigration challenges and raises human rights concerns.

👥 Key Players

Ahmadreza Radan MENTIONED
Commander of the Islamic Republic's police force
"As a high-ranking official, Radan's statements reflect the government's stance on immigration and law enforcement in Iran."
Iskandar Momeni MENTIONED
Minister of Interior
"Momeni oversees immigration policies and his comments highlight the government's challenges in managing foreign nationals."

📰 What Happened

Ahmadreza Radan announced plans to expel two million illegal foreign nationals from Iran by the end of the year, while Minister Iskandar Momeni discussed the difficulties of accommodating a large influx of migrants, particularly from Afghanistan.

  • The majority of illegal migrants in Iran are reportedly from Afghanistan.
  • Official statistics on foreign nationals in Iran are often questioned for their reliability.

💡 Why It Matters

🇮🇷 For Iran: This expulsion plan reflects Iran's struggle to manage its migrant population and the associated social and economic pressures.
🌍 Regional: The situation could exacerbate tensions with Afghanistan and impact regional migration patterns.
🌐 International: It raises concerns about human rights and the treatment of migrants, which may attract international scrutiny.

📚 Background

Iran has a long history of hosting Afghan migrants, many of whom fled conflict and instability in their home country. The government's approach to managing this population has often been contentious.

Migration and refugee policies in Iran Iran-Afghanistan relations
📡 Source: STATE MEDIA
📊 Confidence: 70%
As this information comes from state officials, it may reflect the government's agenda and lack independent verification.

Ahmadreza Radan, the commander of the Islamic Republic's police force, announced that by the end of the year, 'two million' 'illegal foreigners' will be 'expelled' from Iran. He also claimed regarding the statistics of 'illegal foreigners' in Iran that 'the statistics of illegal foreign nationals in the country have been determined, but the final figures should be announced by the Foreign Nationals Organization of the Ministry of Interior.' This claim by Radan comes while Iskandar Momeni, the Minister of Interior of the Islamic Republic, stated in a television interview last night about the 'organization of foreign migrants' that 'various statistics regarding the number of foreign nationals are currently being discussed, and a survey will be conducted to obtain reliable figures.' Momeni pointed out that the majority of migrants are from Afghanistan, stating that 'our country cannot accommodate that many migrants. This volume of migrant influx is difficult for our country to bear.' The Minister of Interior also announced the government's plan for the 'organization' of 'illegal' migrants but did not provide details about this alleged program. Official statistics in the Islamic Republic have always been questioned by independent experts, and due to a lack of transparency in methods, there is no possibility of verifying them. The statistics of foreign nationals in Iran have also always been in question. Nevertheless, Afghan nationals, according to UN reports, constitute the largest population of migrants in Iran. The exploitation of 'contractors' of urban services from 'children of foreigners' and the continued silence of municipalities regarding waste-picking in Iran has been declared as an official job.

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Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →

Translation confidence: 85%

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