1.8M Afghan Migrants Return from Iran Amid Tightened Border Controls

DID Press: Following intensified border control measures in eastern Iran, Iranian authorities have reported that over 1.8 million Afghan migrants have returned to Afghanistan via the Dogharun–Islam Qala border crossing in recent months.

Amirullah Shamqadri, Deputy for Security in the Khorasan Razavi Governorate, stated that approximately 1.8 million Afghan migrants returned through the Dogharun–Islam Qala border during the past months. He described this movement as one of the largest waves of migrant return in recent years.

Shamqadri further noted that, following the recent 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel, the identification and deportation of undocumented migrants accelerated, significantly reducing the number of illegal residents in Iran.

Meanwhile, the Iranian Ministry of Interior’s Refugee Department reports that the Afghan migrant population in Iran currently stands at 4.4 million, down from earlier estimates that ranged as high as six million.

The security deputy estimated that the widespread return of migrants has impacted labor markets, urban services, and security by approximately 10 percent.

Shamqadri also provided an update on the ongoing construction of a border wall along the Afghan frontier, noting that the project is about 50 percent complete. The border zone is being equipped with modern surveillance technologies, including thermal cameras and night-vision equipment.

He added that a Taliban delegation from Afghanistan is scheduled to visit Iran on Tuesday to review border-related issues, and that the completion of the border wall is expected to take at least three more years. Coordinated efforts with the Afghan government will be required for parts of the project.