Iran’s Interior Minister confirms six million Afghan migrants living in Iran

Iran’s Interior Minister, Eskandar Momeni, has stated that approximately six million Afghan nationals are currently living in Iran, with around two million of them residing without legal documentation.

Speaking recently to Iranian media, Momeni emphasized that those who are staying in the country “illegally” must leave.

He claimed that since the beginning of the current year, nearly one million Afghan migrants have been deported from Iran.

The minister also asserted that 70% of those deported left “voluntarily and with dignity and respect.”

However, international organizations have previously reported that more than 70% of Afghan deportees are expelled through coercive measures.

Meanwhile, several Afghan returnees have reported instances of abuse during forced deportations, including the confiscation of personal belongings, physical assault, humiliation, and violence at the hands of Iranian authorities.

Momeni stressed that Iran no longer has the “capacity” to host more migrants.

“Every country has its own laws,” he said, adding that those without legal residency must leave the country.