Iran will deport 2 million irregular migrants.

The Tehran administration will start deporting those who do not have permission to stay in the country. General Commander of the Iranian Police, Brigadier General Ahmad Reza Radan, said they plan to deport approximately 2 million irregular migrants in the country by March 2025. Radan made a statement regarding the issue of irregular migrants in the country to the Young Journalists Club (YJC), which is affiliated with the state television, last week.

AFGHAN REFUGEE INFLUX HAS BEEN CONTINUING FOR 42 YEARS

Radan stated that they are trying to take measures against the issue of irregular migrants in the country with the Ministry of Interior and other relevant institutions, and said, "By the end of this year (according to the Iranian calendar, March 2025), we will deport a significant number of unauthorized foreign nationals who are illegally present in the country." The influx of Afghan refugees towards Iran, which started after the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, has been continuing for about 42 years due to the US occupation, civil wars, and instability.

THERE ARE 5 MILLION AFGHANS IN THE COUNTRY

Especially in recent years, there has been a significant influx of irregular migrants from Afghanistan, where security, political, and economic problems have been experienced, to Iran. Iranian officials state that there are approximately 5 million Afghans in the country according to unofficial data, and many of them are irregular migrants.

"ILLEGAL MIGRANTS SHOULD LEAVE THE COUNTRY"

Former Minister of Interior, Ahmad Vahidi, stated in October 2023, "Illegal migrants should leave the country. We need a stronger mechanism to deal with migrants who are deported and then return to our country."

THEY STARTED BUILDING A WALL ON THE AFGHANISTAN BORDER

President Masoud Pezeshkian also stated during the election campaign process that irregular migrants cause serious social damages such as drug addiction and unemployment in the country, and they will solve this problem. Meanwhile, Iran has started building a 930-kilometer-long wall on the Afghanistan border in the east of the country. Minister of Interior, Eskandar Momeni, stated in a statement on September 6 that irregular migrants in the country cause many problems and will be deported as soon as possible.