TEHRAN – Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi stressed the need to expel refugees from Iran, stating that the country cannot continue to accept them.

Speaking to Iranian media, Vahidi called for better monitoring and management of refugees, many of whom face major challenges in Iran. He echoed the position of many Iranian officials, who have repeatedly stressed the need to expel Afghan refugees and urged the United Nations to facilitate their return to Afghanistan.

Vahidi revealed that there are currently 1.3 million undocumented Afghan refugees in Iran. The influx of refugees increased significantly after the Taliban took power, causing millions of Afghans to flee due to economic problems and threats from the new regime.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) previously reported that Afghans made up the world’s largest refugee population in 2023, accounting for one in six of all refugees under UNHCR’s mandate.