Mohammad Sadegh Motamedian, the governor of Tehran, has announced that since the beginning of the current solar year [Iranian calendar], 200,000 undocumented refugees have been expelled from the province.
He added that another 100,000 have been arrested and subjected to the legal deportation process.
He further warned that employers hiring undocumented refugees would face significant fines.
The Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported on Tuesday, quoting the Iranian official: "Simply arresting and expelling foreign nationals is not sufficient. Penalties have been imposed on those who facilitate housing and employment for unauthorised foreigners."
The governor of Tehran also revealed that this year, 300 businesses, including restaurants and other enterprises, have been shut down for hiring undocumented refugees.
Motamedian cautioned that these measures would intensify and emphasised, "We believe that public cooperation is crucial in addressing the issue of foreign nationals."
Meanwhile, Morteza Ali Pouri, the deputy governor of Alborz for political, social, and security affairs, also announced that in the current solar year, 60,000 undocumented refugees have been repatriated from the province.
He stated, "Any lease or rental agreement for residential, commercial, or industrial buildings by individuals or real estate agents with unauthorised foreign nationals is strictly prohibited."
Previously, Eskandar Momeni, Iran’s Minister of Interior, had announced that since the beginning of the current solar year, approximately 1.1 million Afghan migrants have been deported from Iran.
He also mentioned that at least six million foreign nationals reside in Iran, with at least two million lacking proper documentation.
In addition to accelerating the deportation of Afghan migrants, Iran has prohibited their presence in certain cities and criminalised the employment of undocumented migrants.
