More Afghans Return Home Amid Economic Hardship in Iran

EghtesadOnline: More than 225,000 Afghans have been voluntarily or legally repatriated from Iran in the past nine months through Islam Qala crossing into Afghanistan, an Afghan official said on Saturday.

News ID: ۷۸۳۹۲۷

10 September 2018

Javed Naadem, the head of Refugees and Repatriation Department in the western Herat Province, said the Afghans have returned to the country due to the deteriorated economic situation in the neighboring country, Pajhwok Afghan News reported.

“There was an 100% increase in the repatriation of Afghans from Iran, as in the nine months of last year 122,000 Afghans were repatriated from Iran while this year 225,000 Afghans have returned,” he said.

The official noted that 1,200 children, 63 single women, 353 patients, 79 drug addicts, 447 less fortunate persons, 149 elders and 63 disabled are among those who had been forcefully repatriated, according to Financial Tribune.

Naadem expressed concern over the mass repatriation of Afghans from Iran and added that the national institution and the assisting organization were unable to deal with the situation.

Experts in Iran believe that Afghans were unable to deal with the situation after fresh economic sanctions.

After the US reimposed economic sanctions on Iran, the local currency of the country suffered steep depreciation that hit hard the country’s economy.