Afghanistan Times
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KABUL – Ali Reza Bikdeli, Iran’s ambassador to Afghanistan, has stated that Afghan nationals residing legally in Iran face no restrictions, emphasizing Tehran’s longstanding policy of hosting Afghan migrants. Speaking at a press conference in Kabul on Monday, 2 Saratan (June 23), Bikdeli addressed recent concerns about the treatment of Afghan migrants, saying that the issue is being misused by certain actors to create divisions.
“The matter of Afghan migrants in Iran is now one of the tools being exploited in cyber warfare by our enemies to create rifts between our people,” he said.
Bikdeli noted that over the past four decades, more than 20 million Afghans have entered, lived in, and returned from Iran, and that currently, at least six million Afghans are residing in the country “like Iranian citizens.”
His remarks come after earlier statements from Iranian police officials regarding nationwide operations targeting undocumented migrants. According to Iranian law enforcement, over 1,200 operations have been carried out in the past year, identifying and repatriating more than 1.17 million Afghan nationals.
Ambassador Bikdeli’s comments were aimed at clarifying Iran’s position and reaffirming the country’s commitment to supporting Afghan migrants who live legally within its borders.
