A group of Iranian citizens in District 15 of Tehran protested against Afghan migrants in the country, chanting slogans such as “Death to Afghans.” According to reports from domestic and international media, recent days have seen an increase in protests and mistreatment of Afghan migrants in Iran, particularly in Tehran.
Videos shared on social media show some individuals protesting on a street that is said to be the site of the murder of an Iranian citizen. The protesters are mainly women, and some police officers can be seen accompanying them. On Friday, August 5, protesters held a demonstration in District 15 of Tehran, shouting slogans like “Death to Afghans” and “Afghans commit crimes, the government supports them.”
A video circulating on social media is short, and the slogans and demands put forth by the demonstrators are not clearly specified. It is noteworthy that following the news of the death of an Iranian citizen in District 15 of Tehran, several Afghan migrants reported widespread mistreatment by local people towards Afghans in the eastern part of the capital.
Last week, it was reported that an Iranian citizen was killed following a confrontation with three Afghan migrants. Additionally, Afghan migrants from District 15 of Tehran (the site of this altercation) have shared an announcement on social media warning Afghan migrants to leave the area immediately. In this announcement, whose author or issuing body is not specified, Afghan migrants are warned that if they do not leave District 15, they will be forcibly expelled from Iran.
Also, the Tasnim news agency reported last week that following the death of an Iranian citizen in a hospital emergency room, police in the capital arrested three Afghan brothers on suspicion of involvement in the fatal injury. This news agency quoted a woman whose apartment was visited by three migrant workers: “My husband left for a work assignment and I was home alone. These three brothers, who are our neighbors, came to collect building charges, and a verbal argument broke out between us over construction issues.”
This woman, who accused the three migrant workers of using foul language, stated that after the workers left, she contacted her husband, and an hour later, her husband’s brother went to confront the three and got into a fight with them. Domestic media, including Tasnim news agency, reported that this 28-year-old man was injured in the chest during the altercation with the three Afghan workers and died in the hospital.
This comes as a wave of criticism regarding the presence of Afghan migrants in various cities across Iran has emerged on social media and in the press in recent months. Concurrently with these criticisms, Iranian police have intensified their process of arresting and expelling Afghan migrants.
