KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Iran has deported more than 300 Afghan child workers along with their families over the past two months, according to Iranian officials.
Mohammad Nasiri, head of Tehran’s Welfare Organization, told the state-run IRNA news agency that the majority of the children were undocumented migrants. He said 85% of those identified during recent operations had no legal status in the country.
The deportations are part of what authorities describe as a plan to reduce the number of child laborers on the streets of Tehran and other major cities.
Nasiri also said that many migrant families in Iran are in need of support. “A new assistance model developed in coordination with UNICEF is expected to be launched soon,” he added.
Iran has long hosted large numbers of Afghan refugees. The UN estimates that over 1.5 million Afghan children are currently living in the country, many of them arriving after the Taliban returned to power in August 2021.
Afghan children in Iran often work in difficult conditions, including collecting waste on the streets, to help support their families. Access to education and healthcare remains limited for many of them.
In recent months, Iran has intensified deportation of Afghan refugees, including those holding valid residence permits or temporary protection cards. According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 1.2 million Afghans returned from Iran in 2024, with nearly 70% forcibly removed.
Iranian authorities say they plan to deport up to two million Afghan refugees by the end of the year. Similar mass deportations are also under way in neighboring Pakistan.
