Afghan migrants in Tehran have reported being subjected to physical assault and harassment following the murder of an Iranian citizen. The residents of the area have targeted some Afghan migrants, escalating tensions and fears among the migrant community.
The Afghan newspaper “Daily Information” reported on Wednesday, August 2, that pressures and harassments against Afghan migrants in Tehran have increased. The newspaper cited videos sent to them, one of which was recorded on Monday morning near Bisim Park on Tayeb Street. The sender of the video reported that “over the past few days, more than 20 Afghan citizens in District 15 of Tehran have been beaten, and some of them have been severely injured.”
The Afghan migrant who sent the video stated that law enforcement officers are currently stationed around Bisim Park and the situation is under control. However, due to numerous threats from local residents, Afghan migrants are unable to leave their homes after six in the evening.
The Triggering Incident
Previously, the Tasnim news agency, a source close to the Revolutionary Guards, reported that on Thursday, July 17, an Iranian was injured by a knife during a fight with three Afghan suspects, who were brothers, in Khorasan Square in southern Tehran. The man later died in the hospital. Following this murder, warnings against Afghan migrants were published on social networks, asking them to leave their residences.
Social Media Campaigns and Xenophobia
In addition to this, some Iranians have launched a campaign on social networks titled “Expulsion of Afghans, a National Demand,” sparking a new wave of xenophobia. They have published texts addressed to Masoud Pezeshkian, the new President of Iran, demanding the expulsion of Afghan refugees and migrants, and are collecting signatures. The term “Afghan” is used derogatorily and racially to refer to Afghan citizens.
In October 2023 alone, six online campaigns were registered on the Online Campaign website with topics such as “Prohibition of Entry,” “Expulsion of Foreign Nationals,” “Punishment of Those Who Employ Foreign Nationals,” and “Opposition to the Establishment of a National Immigration Organization.”
Crime Rates and Media Portrayal
Over the past three years, with the increase in the presence of Afghan migrants in Iran, issues have arisen that have involved everyone. The Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) wrote last December that based on statistics in Tehran, the main area of Afghan migrant presence in Iran, Afghan crime rates compared to Iranians are 30 to 70. Most of the crimes related to this 30 percent are committed by the migrants themselves and do not involve Iranians. Despite the increase in the migrant population in Iran over the past two years, the number of these crimes is not significantly high, but it is portrayed differently in the media and cyberspace.
Consequences of Xenophobia
The consequences of these campaigns and media reports about the “increase in migrant population” in Iran have manifested themselves in attacks on Afghan homes in Eqbaliyeh Qazvin and Sultanabad Tehran, insulting and racist behavior towards Afghans in public spaces, and government officials’ reactions to expedite the expulsion of Afghans.
The Iranian society has always considered Afghanistan and Afghans to be inferior, and this is reflected in the way Iranians interact with refugees. Iranian laws are also designed to prevent the integration of Afghans into Iranian society. The behavior of some people on the streets is based on this top-down view of Iranian society towards Afghanistan and Afghans.
Government Stance on Afghan Migrants
Masoud Pezeshkian, the head of the fourteenth government, announced his policies regarding Afghan migrants during his election campaign on June 16. He stated:
“Complete blockade of borders and prevention of further migration, which will be the main responsibility of the Ministry of Interior; organizing migrants based on their loyalty to sovereignty and finally negotiating with European countries to accept some of the migrants (or at least accept the costs of their presence in Iran), which means launching a side business for the Islamic Republic through Afghan migrants.”
This is a summary of original Radio Zamaneh content crafted with the help of AI, edited by a Radio Zamaneh editor. To read the original article, click here.
