Background on the Situation
Iran’s interior minister, Eskandar Momeni, announced on Monday that 1.2 million Afghan refugees have been deported over the past six months. An additional 800,000 are expected to be expelled in the coming months before March. This brings the estimated total to 2 million deportations by the end of next year, out of a current 6 million Afghan refugees residing in Iran.
Context and Relevance
The Afghan refugee crisis in Iran has been ongoing for decades, with many Afghans seeking refuge due to the tumultuous political climate in their home country. Iran’s decision to deport such a large number of refugees has raised concerns about their well-being and the potential strain on Afghanistan’s resources as it grapples with its own challenges.
Iran’s Migratory Policy and Taliban’s Intervention
According to Momeni, these deportations are part of Iran’s migratory policy targeting those without valid residence permits. He emphasized that this is not driven by xenophobia, as reported by the IRNA news agency.
In late July, Afghanistan’s Taliban foreign minister, Amir Jan Muttaqi, urged his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araqchi, to treat Afghan refugees being expelled from Iran with dignity. Muttaqi highlighted the lack of coordination in many expulsions and warned of mistreatment faced by those being deported.
Discrepancies in Deportation Numbers
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that approximately 250,000 Afghans were deported in June alone. However, the Taliban’s commission has inflated this number to 600,000, reportedly accelerated by a 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the total number of Afghan refugees deported from Iran? According to Iran’s interior minister, the total is expected to reach 2 million by the end of next year.
- Why are Afghans being deported from Iran? The deportations are part of Iran’s migratory policy targeting those without valid residence permits, though the Taliban has criticized the lack of coordination and mistreatment during expulsions.
- What discrepancies exist in the reported deportation numbers? The IOM estimates 250,000 deportations in June, while the Taliban’s commission claims 600,000, citing a recent conflict between Iran and Israel as a contributing factor.
- Who are the key figures involved in this situation? Iran’s interior minister, Eskandar Momeni, and Afghanistan’s Taliban foreign minister, Amir Jan Muttaqi, have both played significant roles in addressing the deportations and their implications.