Iran’s interior ministry has ordered border guards on Wednesday to turn away Afghan refugees trying to cross the border from Afghanistan after the Taliban victory led many Afghans to try to leave the country.
Hossein Ghassemi, the general director of the interior ministry’s border affairs told local media that all along Iran’s eastern border with Afghanistan, involving three provinces, border guards have been ordered to prevent possible entry by refugees.
Mehdi Mahmoudi, Director General Bureau for Aliens and Foreign Immigrants Affairs of the Iranian Ministry of Interior, called the establishment of new camps for Afghan refugees along Iran’s borders a rumor and asked for Afghans to ignore such news.
In making the announcement, Ghassemi stressed that the internal situation in Afghanistan seems to be moving toward stability. This is despite the fact that several reports from inside Afghanistan indicate the terror group continues with its backward ways to oppress women and kill those who oppose its rule or previously worked with international governments or news agencies.
Iran previously used many of its Afghan refugee population as cheap mercenaries, such as the Liwa Fatemiyoun militia group, trained, armed and funded by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, for its proxy wars in Iraq, Syria and Yemen. After the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan Iran sees the partnership with Taliban as a higher priority since it enables the Islamic Republic to expand its regional influence similar to what it has done in Syria and Iraq.
The Director General of Border Affairs of the Ministry of Interior of Iran said on Sunday that some Afghans who sought refuge in Iran and were rejected following the Taliban attacks had responsibilities in the government, parliament, and provinces of Afghanistan or military personnel who had turned to the Iranian border with military equipment.
It is vital for the Taliban to not lose valuable people working in the government for now as its members are mostly illiterate and unable to run the country. Once more Taliban members learn how to manage things, they will no longer need previous government employees and staff.
Source: Iran International
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