Afghanistan Peace Campaign
Mohammad Pir Hayati, the Deputy Head of Security and Places in Lorestan, Iran, stated that since the beginning of the current year, 1,800 Afghan refugees have been arrested in this city.
According to IRIB News Agency on Tuesday, October 22, this Iranian official noted that the number of arrests has increased by more than 100% compared to the previous year.
Reports indicate that most of the Afghan refugees were arrested in the cities of Aligudarz, Khorramabad, and Alishtar in Lorestan province.
The official emphasized that Lorestan has the highest unemployment rate and claimed that job opportunities for the city’s youth are being occupied by “foreign nationals committing crimes.”
He also warned that if anyone employs Afghan refugees, they will face legal consequences in accordance with the law.
This comes as the Islamic Republic of Iran has intensified its pressure and forced deportation of Afghan refugees in recent months.
Recently, Ahmadreza Radan, the commander of Iran’s law enforcement, warned that by the end of this year, two million Afghan refugees would be expelled.
According to this Iranian official, over 750,000 “illegal nationals” have already been deported this year.
The forced deportation of Afghan refugees from Iran and Pakistan amid Afghanistan’s ongoing humanitarian crisis highlights their dire situation. With increasing arrests and deportations, many Afghans face a lack of safe refuge, adding to the immense challenges they already face due to political instability and economic hardships in their homeland.
Despite the critical situation in Afghanistan, where many refugees have no viable options to return safely, these actions by neighboring countries exacerbate their vulnerability.
Afghan refugees are left struggling with an uncertain future, limited access to basic resources, and the constant fear of being sent back to a country where their lives may be at risk.