KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – At least four Afghan nationals were killed and 21 others injured following a traffic collision in southeastern Iran, according to local authorities.
The accident occurred at 8:20am on Monday (February 16) along the Saravan–Kalporgan road, about five kilometers from Kalporgan village in Saravan district, in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchistan province.
According to the state news agency Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Hassan Shehbakhsh, deputy for technical and operational affairs at the pre-hospital emergency department of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, said the crash involved two Toyota pickup trucks carrying Afghan nationals that collided with each other.
Shehbakhsh said three ambulances were dispatched to the scene after the incident was reported. Emergency teams provided initial medical assistance before transferring the injured to Razi and Iranmehr hospitals in Saravan for further treatment.
He added that several of the wounded are reported to be in critical condition.
A similar incident occurred three months earlier, on 12 November, when at least 13 Afghan migrants were killed and seven others injured after two vehicles overturned in Khash district of Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan province. According to local sources, the victims were attempting to enter Iran irregularly when the vehicles reportedly crashed due to high speed.
The incident highlighted the continuing risks faced by Afghan migrants amid Iran’s deportation campaign and visa restrictions.
Road accidents involving Afghan migrants are not uncommon in Iran’s southeastern border regions. Many Afghans attempt irregular migration routes due to unemployment and deteriorating economic conditions, often relying on informal and unsafe transportation.
The journey is considered highly dangerous. Over the years, numerous Afghan migrants have lost their lives due to shootings near border areas, landmines, and traffic accidents along smuggling routes.
Iran’s Sistan and Baluchistan province, which borders Afghanistan and Pakistan, is a key transit corridor for migrants attempting to reach other parts of Iran or continue onward to Turkey and Europe.
Authorities have not yet released further details about the circumstances surrounding Monday’s collision.
