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Iran issues more than 400,000 visas for Afghans in last 11 months
The Iranian consulate in Herat province says over 400,000 visas have been issued to Afghan citizens in the last year, out of which 200,000 were for Herat residents.
“Over the past eleven months, we have issued 200,000 visas at Herat representative office alone, and the same amount has been issued in our other four agencies; we have issued approximately 400,000 or 450,000 visas to Afghan citizens this year,” said Mohammad Sediq Far, Consul General of Iran for Herat.
According to reports, hundreds of Afghans travel to Iran legally on a daily basis, and their reason for leaving the country is reported unemployment in the country.
“We ask the Islamic Emirate to provide job opportunities for the people so that they don’t have to travel to other countries,” said Mohammad Arif, a Baghlan resident.
Herat officials meanwhile say efforts are ongoing to provide job opportunities for the residents.
“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is trying to provide employment opportunities for the youth,” said Naimulhaq Haqqani, head of information and culture in Herat.
According to the statistics of the Iranian consulate in Herat, more than five million Afghan immigrants are currently living in Iran.
In addition, more than 1,000 Afghan immigrants return to the country through Islam Qala border every day.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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