KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Iran’s Prosecutor General, Mohammad Movahedi Azad, has warned undocumented foreign nationals, particularly Afghan migrants, to leave the country immediately or face legal consequences.
Speaking at an event in Hamadan province on Saturday, Movahedi Azad said “unauthorized foreigners” must leave Iran “as soon as possible,” according to state-run IRNA news agency.
“Foreign nationals, especially our Afghan brothers and sisters, whom we have hosted for years, should help ensure that unauthorized individuals leave Iran promptly,” he said. “Violators will face consequences.”
Afghans make up the largest migrant population in Iran and are commonly referred to by authorities as “foreign nationals” or “unauthorized foreigners.”
Movahedi Azad also called on migrants with legal status to report anyone suspected of collaborating with Israel, adding, “Those who come forward voluntarily may be offered legal leniency.”
Following the 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel, Iranian state media and several officials accused Afghan migrants of spying for Israel, an accusation that has triggered increased hostility, mistreatment, and arrests of Afghans across the country.
Iran has intensified its crackdown on Afghan migrants since the ceasefire with Israel. In recent days, authorities have conducted raids, made mass arrests, and deported tens of thousands of Afghans.
According to Taliban authorities in Herat, over 30,000 Afghans are returning daily via the Islam Qala border crossing. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has reported that more than 88,000 Afghans were expelled from Iran in the past week.
The UNHCR, IOM, WHO, and UNAMA have called for immediate international support, warning that returnees face significant risks of poverty, homelessness, and deteriorating health conditions.
A similar deportation campaign is also taking place in Pakistan, where authorities have already sent back over 1.3 million Afghans and aim to expel more than 1.6 million by the end of the year.
