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Iran closes its doors to Afghan migrants, will start deportations ‘soon’
Iran’s Interior Minister, Eskandar Momeni, says Tehran has reached its capacity in terms of accepting Afghan nationals and will prioritize the deportation of undocumented migrants.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Momeni stressed that addressing the presence of unauthorized migrants is a national issue and highlighted that Iran’s law enforcement agencies are at the forefront of implementing the policy.
“The issue of undocumented migrants is a national matter, and naturally, the police are on the front line,” Momeni said, adding that this has been made a priority for law enforcement.
Momeni explained that substantial national resources have been allocated to supporting Afghan migrants, and reiterated that Iran no longer can accommodate them.
He also confirmed that the government has developed plans to carry out the deportations.
Iran is host to the largest refugee population in the world, hosting 3.4 million refugees and people in refugee-like situations and has hosted refugees for over 40 years.
According to UNHCR, in March this year, Iran was hosting 773,049 registered Afghan refugees.
In total, UNHCR estimates that some 3.7 million forcibly displaced persons of various documentation status, and from various countries, currently reside in Iran.
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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