Afghanistan Peace CampaignIn the meeting, Haqqani asked Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan not to persecute Afghan immigrants and to respect the human rights of immigrants.
The Iranian Minister of Interior Ahmad Wahidi claimed that the Islamic Emirate has asked Iran for an opportunity to provide the conditions for the return of “Afghan immigrants with permits.”
According to Iranian media reports, Wahidi said that there are currently 5 million Afghan refugees living in Iran.
The Minister of Interior of Iran asked the Islamic Emirate to provide conditions for the return of Afghan immigrants, and Afghan immigrants who do not have legal documents for residence will be deported.
“Based on our figures, there are currently around five million people. There are two parts that have been fully explained before, a part of them do not have permits which should be deported,” Wahidi said.
Meanwhile, the 2nd Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Salam Hanafi asked the citizens of the country and aid institutions to help the immigrants who have returned to the country.
According to Hanafi, so far more than 400,000 Afghan immigrants have returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan.
“The immigrants who were forcibly expelled from our neighboring countries against all national and international norms, have returned to their homeland, and the Islamic Emirate has provided them services with all the possible means it had,” Hanafi said.
Some refugee rights activists expressed concerns regarding the situation of Afghan immigrants in Iran.
“The Afghan immigrants in Iran are facing challenges due to not having legal living permits,” said Mohammad Khan Talibi, immigrants’ rights activist.
Raffaella Iodice, the EU Chargée d’Affaires to Afghanistan pledged 142 million euros in aid to returnees in a meeting with Khalil Rahman Haqqani, the acting Minister of Refugees and Repatriation.
The Ministry of Refugees wrote in a statement that the situation of immigrants who return from Pakistan, Turkey, and Iran — both voluntarily and by force — was discussed in the meeting.
In the meeting, Haqqani asked Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan not to persecute Afghan immigrants and to respect the human rights of immigrants.