Iran Expels 1.1 Million Afghan Refugees Amid Tightened Border Surveillance
Iran has expelled 1.1 million Afghan refugees from the country, with Interior Minister Esmail Qaani stating that Iran can no longer accommodate additional Afghan refugees. He also confirmed that border surveillance is being intensified to prevent further influx.
In response to this mass expulsion, the Taliban government in Afghanistan has urged both Pakistan and Iran to conduct the repatriation of Afghan refugees in an organized and voluntary manner, rather than forcefully.
This development follows Pakistan’s recent decision, announced by the Ministry of Interior, which instructed all Afghan citizens holding Afghan Citizen Cards to leave the country by March 31. The Ministry also ordered all foreign nationals residing illegally in Pakistan to depart by the same deadline, warning that failure to comply would lead to deportation starting April 1.
The ongoing issue of Afghan refugees remains a significant challenge for neighboring countries, with both Iran and Pakistan grappling with the growing refugee population amid ongoing instability in Afghanistan.
