Iranian authorities close 378 shops operated by Afghan migrants in Qeshm
According to an Iranian official in Qeshm, Iran, about 378 shops operated by “unauthorized refugees” have been closed.
Omid Mahdavi-Majd, the Prosecutor of Qeshm, Iran, announced the closure of 378 shops that were operated by “unauthorized migrants.”
He stated that these closures were executed in collaboration with the Islamic Republic’s security forces.
According to Tasnim News Agency, Mahdavi-Majd indicated that renting commercial and residential properties to unauthorized Afghans constitutes a “crime” and that those involved will face legal consequences.
Additionally, Mahdavi-Majd emphasized that employing undocumented Afghans in Qeshm is prohibited. The order to halt the employment of unauthorized Afghans has been communicated to all business units in Qeshm.
The prohibition on housing and employing Afghans extends to several provinces including East Azerbaijan, West Azerbaijan, Ardabil, Zanjan, Kurdistan, Kermanshah, Ilam, Lorestan, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Gilan, Mazandaran, Sistan and Baluchestan, Hormozgan, and Hamadan.
The stringent measures against undocumented Afghan migrants in Iran have exacerbated their precarious situation, leading to further economic hardship.
With many now left without livelihoods or legal protection, the humanitarian crisis for these migrants deepens.
The international community must address the dire plight of Afghan refugees facing forced deportation.
As they are pushed back into a deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, urgent and coordinated efforts are needed to provide them with support and protect their fundamental rights amidst the escalating crisis.
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