Iran Deports 500 Undocumented Afghan Migrants Daily, Officials Say

Iranian authorities say that in recent months, nearly 500 Afghan nationals attempting to cross into Iran’s Khorasan Razavi province without valid documentation have been apprehended daily by border forces and returned to Afghanistan.

Amirollah Shamaqdari, the deputy security and law enforcement governor of Khorasan Razavi, said on Thursday, November 22, 1404 (Persian calendar), that due to stringent visa restrictions for Afghan migrants, a significant number are attempting to enter Iran via illegal routes. He added that the number of undocumented Afghan entries has more than doubled compared to last year.

Shamaqdari emphasized that after detaining these migrants, border forces collect their biometric data before deporting them back to Afghanistan. He also reported that over one million Afghan migrants have returned via the Dogharoun border crossing so far this year.

The official noted increased security measures along the Afghan border, including border closures, radar installation, and the deployment of night-vision cameras. According to him, these initiatives aim to reduce dependency on manpower and enhance border control.

Khorasan Razavi province shares a total of 835 kilometers of border with Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, 300 kilometers of which is with Afghanistan. Much of this border is patrolled by the Taybad Border Regiment.

With the Taliban administration unable to manage Afghanistan’s economic, security, and social crises, increasing forced migration and hopelessness about the future are driving thousands to embark on risky and treacherous journeys out of the country. At the same time, crackdowns—often violent—by neighboring countries have further highlighted the precarious state of Afghan migrants’ human rights.