2 million undocumented immigrants to be deported: Iran announces

General Commander of the Iranian Law Enforcement Force, Brigadier General Ahmad Reza Radan, announced that according to the government's new plan, they intend to deport approximately 2 million of the undocumented immigrants in the country by March 2025.

Radan made statements regarding the issue of undocumented immigrants in the country to the Young Journalists Club (YJC), which is affiliated with state television.

Stating that the number of undocumented immigrants in the country has been determined and that this should be announced by the Ministry of Interior, Radan said, 'This year, approximately 2 million undocumented foreign nationals will be deported from the country.'

Noting that they are working with the Ministry of Interior and other relevant institutions to take measures against the problem of undocumented immigrants in the country, Radan said, 'By the end of this year (March 2025 according to the Iranian calendar), we will deport a significant number of undocumented foreign nationals who are in the country illegally.'

The influx of Afghan refugees toward Iran, which began following the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, has continued for approximately 42 years due to the US occupation, civil wars, and instability. Especially in recent years, there has been an intense influx of undocumented immigrants into Iran from Afghanistan, which has been experiencing security, political, and economic problems. Iranian officials state that according to unofficial data, there are approximately 5 million Afghans in the country, and many of them are undocumented immigrants.

Former Minister of Interior Ahmad Vahidi had said in a statement in October 2023, 'Illegal immigrants must leave the country. We also need a stronger mechanism to deal with immigrants who are sent back and then return to our country again.'

President Masoud Pezeshkian also said during his election campaign that undocumented immigrants cause serious social harm in the country, such as drug issues and employment problems, and that they would solve this problem.

On the other hand, Iran has begun building a 930-kilometer-long wall on its border with Afghanistan in the east of the country.

Minister of Interior Eskandar Momeni had said in a statement on September 6 that undocumented immigrants in the country cause many problems and that they would be deported as soon as possible.

News Source: AA