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Mass deportation of Afghan migrants cripples Iran’s leather and footwear industry
The impact of the deportations is not limited to the leather sector. Other industries also rely on migrant labor—including construction, agriculture, and manufacturing.
Iran’s leather and footwear industry is facing a dramatic slowdown following the sudden mass deportation of Afghan migrant workers, a key labor force in the sector, according to the Tehran Union of Leather and Footwear Sellers.
Saeed Hayati, the union’s head, warned this week that the abrupt removal of Afghan workers—who previously made up more than half the sector’s workforce—has paralyzed production across many manufacturing units. He said the situation is especially dire as Iran prepares for the back-to-school shopping season, traditionally a peak period for the industry.
“This has been a shock to the entire system,” Hayati told local media.
“Production lines have come to a halt. We were already dealing with a weak economy, currency devaluation, high rent, and power shortages—but now, the labor shortage may push the industry to the brink.”
Hayati strongly criticized Iranian authorities for enforcing deportation measures without prior planning or efforts to train or replace the displaced workforce. “Before implementing such policies, there should have been a structured plan. Instead, skilled and experienced workers were expelled overnight, and now the factories are empty.”
He added that while some stopgap measures have been introduced, they are neither sufficient nor sustainable. “The solution should have been gradual, humane, and realistic. You don’t punish an entire community for the actions of a few. It’s neither fair nor economically wise.”
The impact of the deportations is not limited to the leather sector. Hayati cautioned that other industries reliant on migrant labor—including construction, agriculture, and manufacturing—are likely to face similar disruptions in the coming months.
Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni recently said that around six million Afghan nationals reside in Iran, of which an estimated two million are undocumented.
Momeni confirmed that undocumented migrants must leave the country and stated that nearly one million Afghans have been deported since the start of the Iranian calendar year in March.
Despite the government’s assertion that the deportation drive is aimed at restoring order and reducing pressure on public services, industry leaders and economic analysts warn that the campaign risks damaging Iran’s already fragile economy.
Afghan workers, many of whom have lived in Iran for decades, have long been integral to the country’s informal and semi-skilled labor markets. Their sudden removal is now exposing systemic dependence—and a lack of preparedness to fill the vacuum they leave behind.
During Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to New Delhi, India and Russia issued a joint statement highlighting their close coordination on Afghanistan. Both sides appreciated the ongoing dialogue between their respective Security Councils and underscored the significance of the Moscow Format meetings in promoting regional stability.
The leaders welcomed counter-terrorism efforts targeting international terrorist groups, including ISIS, ISKP, and their affiliates, expressing confidence in a comprehensive and effective approach to combating terrorism in Afghanistan. They also stressed the urgent need to ensure uninterrupted humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people.
India and Russia have maintained close ties on regional security, particularly concerning developments in Afghanistan following the Islamic Emirate’s return to power in 2021. The Moscow Format, a diplomatic platform including Afghanistan’s neighbors, has played a key role in facilitating dialogue on peace, stability, and counter-terrorism in the region.
Five civilians were killed and five others wounded in firing by Pakistani troops on Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province late on Friday, sources told Ariana News.
The attack comes two days after a new round of peace talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan reportedly ended without a breakthrough, though both sides agreed to continue their fragile ceasefire.
The recent talks in Saudi Arabia were the latest in a series of meetings hosted by Qatar, Turkey and Saudi Arabia aimed at easing tensions after deadly clashes near the Durand Line in October. Dozens were killed in the clashes in October.
Islamabad claims that Afghanistan-based militants carried out the recent attacks in Pakistan. Kabul denies the allegations, saying it cannot be held responsible for security inside Pakistan.
Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Islamic Emirate, said Afghan forces had responded to the recent Pakistani attacks.
Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Hussain Andrabi says both Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Sadyr Japarov, the President of Kyrgyzstan, who visited Islamabad on Thursday, expressed their mutual commitment to a peaceful, stable Afghanistan with a sustainable future for the Afghan people.
Speaking in a press conference on Friday, Andrabi stated that both sides agreed that the Islamic Emirate must fulfill its obligations toward the international community and take concrete steps against terrorist groups to address Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns.
This comes while the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has repeatedly emphasized that no terrorist groups operate from Afghan territory and that it will not allow anyone to use Afghan soil against any country.
The Islamic Emirate has also stated that Pakistan’s security concerns are an internal issue of that country, and Pakistan itself must take measures to prevent any security incidents.
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