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Iran reports 45% surge in detentions of Afghan migrants as deportation criticism mounts
The sharp rise in detentions and deportations has sparked renewed criticism from rights advocates inside Iran.
Iran’s Law Enforcement Forces say detentions of Afghan migrants without legal residency documents have risen sharply, with a 45 percent increase in the first four months of the current year compared to previous periods.
Police spokesperson Saeed Montazerolmahdi said on Sunday that intensified border patrols and heightened security measures have doubled the rate of migrant detentions. “Law enforcement is acting with greater determination in identifying and detaining undocumented Afghan nationals,” he said, adding that roughly 1.14 million Afghans have been deported so far this year.
According to Montazerolmahdi, border surveillance along the Afghanistan frontier has been stepped up, with more than 2,000 patrols conducted daily — a 14 percent increase from last year. Authorities say these operations have prevented at least 2,500 unauthorized Afghan entries.
The sharp rise in detentions and deportations has sparked renewed criticism from rights advocates inside Iran.
On Saturday, the head of Iran’s Association of Social Workers, Hassan Mousavi Chelik, condemned what he called “indiscriminate” deportation policies, alleging that authorities are failing to differentiate between legal and illegal migrants.
Citing specific cases, Chelik said an Iranian child was mistakenly deported as an Afghan and only returned after fingerprint verification at the Iranian consulate. He also reported instances where children from deported Afghan families were left behind in Iran, raising concerns over family separations and the humanitarian impact of the policy.
Iran hosts one of the largest Afghan migrant populations in the world, many of whom fled decades of war, poverty, and instability. But worsening economic conditions, political tensions, and tightened border controls have fueled a wave of expulsions — drawing increasing scrutiny from human rights organizations and migration experts.
Pakistan on Friday summoned Afghan Deputy Head of Mission in Islamabad to convey “strong demarche” over a deadly attack on a military camp in North Waziristan District that killed four Pakistani soldiers.
In a statement, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the attack was carried out by a faction of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The statement said that Pakistan conveyed “grave concern over the continued support and facilitation” provided by the Islamic Emirate to TTP.
Pakistan has demanded “a full investigation and decisive action against the perpetrators and facilitators of the terrorist attacks launched against Pakistan from Afghan soil.”
It urged the Islamic Emirate “to take immediate, concrete and verifiable measures against all terror groups operating from its territory, including their leadership, and deny the continued use of Afghan soil for terrorism against Pakistan.
According to the statement, the Islamic Emirate has been “categorically informed that Pakistan reserves the right to defend its sovereignty and protect its citizens, and will take all necessary measures to respond to terrorism originating from Afghan soil.”
Pakistani officials have repeatedly claimed that attacks in the country are originated from Afghan soil, a charge the Islamic Emirate denies.
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has underscored Afghanistan’s continued importance in regional cooperation, saying the country remains one of the key areas of interaction among regional partners.
Addressing the first summit of the “Central Asia Plus Japan” dialogue, Mirziyoyev said participating countries share a common aspiration to see Afghanistan become peaceful, stable, and oriented toward meaningful development.
The Uzbek president praised Japan’s longstanding and consistent support for Afghanistan, noting that Tokyo has for many years been among the leading donors and partners assisting the Afghan people.
He expressed confidence that coordinated efforts and joint contributions by regional countries and Japan would help improve living standards in Afghanistan, advance socio-economic and infrastructure development, and facilitate the country’s active involvement in regional economic projects.
The Embassy of Japan in Afghanistan announced on Friday that the country has allocated $19.5 million in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.
In a statement, the Japanese Embassy said it hopes the aid will help bring positive change to the lives of vulnerable Afghans.
According to the statement, the assistance will cover the basic humanitarian needs of vulnerable communities in Afghanistan.
The embassy added that the aid will be delivered through United Nations agencies, international organizations, and Japanese non-governmental organizations operating in Afghanistan.
Japan’s total assistance to Afghanistan since August 2021 has reached more than $549 million.
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