Iran to deport two million Afghans in expulsion programme

Iran plans to deport two million Afghan migrants within six months, as stated by national police head Ahmad-Reza Radan.

The police have begun aggressively detaining Afghans and sending them back to Taliban-controlled areas. Shops in some regions are banned from selling food to Afghan nationals, while cases of police violence against Afghans have been reported, including an incident dubbed the "Afghan George Floyd."

Around 4.5 million Afghans live in Iran, many fleeing the Taliban in 2021. Escalating deportations have been linked to Iran's water dispute with Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Afghans facing severe restrictions continue to hire smugglers to escape to Iran despite the risks.