Zahra’s family fled to Afghanistan for Iran about 30 years ago. Today, 23-year-old-who is married to a young daughter-life in the constant fear of exile. Her husband, who escaped from Afghanistan, works as an agricultural laborer.
Zahra said, “He can be arrested at any time on work or houseway and can be sent to Afghanistan like many others.”
according to a United Nations report Published in July, 1.35 million Afghan refugees have been forced to leave Iran in recent months. Many were arrested and deported, while others voluntarily returned for arbitrary arrest.
Zahra, which was born in Iran and grew up, is only a temporary residence permit. “I am listed in the passport of my parents’ family, which is valid till September,” he explained. The travel document is tested regularly and renewed every six months.
Even those Afghan refugees who have lived in Iran for generations – some are no longer given Iranian citizenship – in their second or third.
For more than 40 years, people have been fleeing from poverty, and now Taliban to escape from Afghanistan. Death searched for asylum in neighboring countries as Iran or Pakistan, however, they are often among the first people to be convicted for advancing unemployment and crime.
Arbitrarily arrested and deported
Recently, after the 12-day Israel and Iran, Iranian officials launched a large-scale exile campaign against the Afghans, saying they are living illegally in their country.
In response to the exile campaign, more than 1,300 Iranians and Afghan workers, journalists, artists and citizens have written an open letter to the Iranian government.
They are calling for an immediate end to the suppression of Afghan refugees, who are being arbitrarily arrested and deported. They ask the Iranian people to oppose these attacks so that their silence cannot be considered as complexity.
The refugees have long complained about the systematic and rapid rapid racist approach in the society, which they say fuel is being given by the authorities.
Negative coverage in the Iranian media blames the refugees for social and economic problems, increases resentment between deprived groups and bends them against migrants.
Zahra recalls that, as a documented refugee, he was not even given a place in school, on the basis that there were not enough spaces for the local people.
Afghan human rights activist Abdullah Ahmadi argued, “In recent months, exile has been done regardless of international standards.” “Many of them were deported, more than the border to the taching tachin – without shelter, medical care, or without enough food.
There are many families in the return who returned to Afghanistan on their initiative for fear of arbitrary arrest. Many of them say that they have not re -made the deposits paid for their external wages or their apartments.
Cooperation with Taliban
In response to increasing criticism, Iranian officials emphasized that they had asked all “illegal” refugees to leave the country for six months.
Nadar Yarhamadi, head of the Center for foreigners and refugees at the Interior Ministry, told the state news agency IRNA in early July: “We announced in March that all illegal migrants should leave the country on the latest by July 15.”
The increasing number of irregular immigrants from Afghanistan after the Taliban acquisition has put heavy stress on the country’s limited resources. In January, External Affairs Minister Abbas Aragchi visited Afghan capital Kabul to interact with the Taliban, including the exile of the refugees.
Iranian President Masood Pezesian said in July that he was “ready to travel to Afghanistan to open a new chapter in relations between the two countries.”
His declaration was widely interpreted as a sign of Taliban’s recognition. However, Iran’s Foreign Ministry later clarified that this statement is only an expression of personal interest and did not officially travel.
Large -scale exile has criticized Iran within the Afghan society. According to international relations expert Ahmed Ehsan Sarvariyar, “The current situation is not for a diplomatic journey.”
“In only 40 days, about one million people have been deported. It is increasing basic services in western Afghanistan,” said.
Sarvariyar supports the withdrawal’s residence in the western Afghan city of Herat, where it has caused a poor humanist havoc.
About 23 million people in Afghanistan are already dependent on humanitarian aid. Now hundreds of thousands of returns are joining them, left without shelter, work or possibilities for the future.
“My plan was to always return to Afghanistan after school and study,” Zahra told DW. “In Iran, I have to pay for my studies because I do not have an Iranian passport. Taliban came to power in Afghanistan in August 2021 and teased his dreams.”
Four of his friends and acquaintances, who were deported from Iran with their families in recent months, now live together with their young children, who were provoked a little small to a little small that there is no electricity.
Zahra and his family were forced to leave Iran 20 years ago. After a letter, they returned.
Today, 950 km (590-mile) long border with Afghanistan-parts, which runs through inaccessible, high mountain ranges, is uncontrolled uncontrolled by Iranian authorities, which makes it difficult to monitor the border.
This article was the original published in German.
Edited by: Carl Sexton
