Iran Bans Private Transport of Unauthorized Afghan Migrants, Imposes Penalties

The Public Prosecutor of Taybad city, Iran, has announced a new restriction prohibiting the transport of “unauthorised” Afghan nationals between cities in private vehicles.

Hojjat Sedighi, the prosecutor, stated that vehicle owners found transporting Afghan migrants without legal status will face penalties. Additionally, their vehicles will be impounded for up to six months, following a directive from Iran’s National Security Council.

Sedighi also reported that 16 properties rented to unauthorised Afghan nationals in various Taybad neighbourhoods were identified and sealed earlier this year. He explained that these measures were implemented in response to public demand and with judicial approval.

On Saturday, October 27, Sediqi told the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) that individuals who rented homes to unauthorised Afghan migrants are now facing legal action. He further stressed that renting, selling, or conducting transactions with unauthorised Afghans is prohibited and constitutes a violation of the law.

According to Sedighi, approximately 23,000 unauthorised Afghans have been detained and repatriated to Afghanistan in the first half of the year. In recent months, Iran has intensified restrictions on Afghan migrants, imposing limitations on their employment, activities, and movement in most major cities. Iran’s Interior Minister, Eskandar Momeni, called on Afghan migrants to “return to their own country, work hard, and rebuild it.”

This development comes amid worsening conditions in Afghanistan, where poverty and unemployment have surged under the Taliban’s rule, driving many Afghans to seek refuge in Iran and other countries.