Iran Confirms 80,000 Afghan-Iranian Marriages Amid Migration Policy Review
Iran has confirmed the registration of at least 80,000 marriages between Afghan nationals and Iranian citizens, according to Nader Yarahmadi, head of the Center for Foreign Nationals and Immigrants Affairs at the Ministry of Interior. He stated that half of these unions are between Afghan men and Iranian women, and the other half between Iranian men and Afghan women.
Speaking at a press conference in Tehran on Friday, Yarahmadi said that including the children of these couples, about 250,000 people are now part of Iranian society through these marriages. He added that children are eligible for Iranian birth certificates if one of their parents is Iranian.
Yarahmadi also noted that Iran is currently reviewing its immigration laws to distinguish between documented and undocumented migrants. His remarks come amid an uptick in crackdowns on Afghan migrants in Iran, with human rights organizations reporting increasing instances of discrimination and degrading treatment.
According to Yarahmadi, Afghan citizens who enter Iran for work are eligible for a 9-month work visa. However, they must leave the country and re-enter after this period in order to maintain their residency ties with Afghanistan.
The claim of 4.5 million Afghan migrants currently residing in Iran comes as international organizations report varying figures. The Taliban administration has yet to respond effectively to the alleged mistreatment of its citizens in Iran, a failure that has sparked widespread criticism.
