Following the protests and harassment of Afghan migrants in Iran, particularly in Tehran, the human rights organization Hangaw has warned about the increasing governmental and social racism towards Afghan migrants in the country, describing the situation as “catastrophic.”
In a report, this human rights organization stated that in recent months, there has been a wave of rising anti-Afghan racism, both at the governmental and societal levels, observable within Iran. The report noted that this racism includes discussions surrounding the expulsion of Afghan migrants in the context of Iran’s presidential election debates, as well as a growing demand for their expulsion on social media platforms.
Hangaw emphasized that many Afghan citizens, despite having lived and worked in Iran for decades, do not possess valid residency cards. The report indicated that Afghan migrants are not allowed to reside in 16 provinces of Iran, and outside of Tehran, Alborz, and Qom provinces, they are only permitted to stay in certain districts.
It should be noted that tensions between Iranian citizens and Afghan migrants escalated following the killing of an Iranian individual. As days pass, there is an increasing wave of anti-migrant sentiment and opposition towards Afghan nationals across various regions in Iran.
In recent weeks, there has been a surge of violence and hostility against Afghan migrants in the capital and several districts of Tehran. In many cases, Afghan migrants have faced insults, humiliation, beatings, and knife attacks from Iranian citizens.
