Iranian Interior Minister Emphasizes Integrated Management of National Migration Organization

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA): Mr. Momeni said that this bill has now been submitted to the parliament by the Iranian government and the process of considering it should be expedited. He called for the "main custodian" of its implementation to be identified so that both integrated management in this area can be formed and the Iranian parliament can play its supervisory role.

 

At the meeting, which was held in Mashhad, the center of Khorasan Razavi, Iranian officials addressed important issues such as the presence of foreign nationals, the security of the eastern borders, and the general policy of the Islamic Republic towards Afghanistan.

 

These statements come at a time when thousands of Afghan refugees have entered Iran through the eastern borders in recent years and are now facing various challenges including residency, education, work, and access to health services.

 

The Iranian Interior Minister also emphasized that the field visit of members of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security Commission to the borders of Khorasan Razavi will play an effective role in understanding the field realities and making better decisions.

 

According to experts, Tehran’s efforts to create a single and centralized structure in immigration affairs, although considered a positive step towards managing existing challenges, also raise concerns for the Afghan refugee community. The lack of legal representation of refugees in the drafting and decision-making related to this bill could lead to the adoption of policies that create more restrictions for refugees instead of supporting them.

 

The National Migration Organization bill could change the fate of millions of Afghan refugees. If this plan is designed solely from a security perspective, it is feared that it will add to the existing challenges. However, if it is formulated with a realistic, humane and economic perspective, it can provide a basis for the legal, dignity-based and productive integration of refugees into the host society.

 

Afghanistan, as a country with deep historical and human ties with Iran, expects this new policy to be based on mutual respect and mutual interests.