Kabul [Afghanistan], November 20 (ANI): Amid the ongoing issue of illegal immigration, around 450,000 Afghan migrants have willingly returned to the country from Iran, Khaama Press reported, citing Iranian local media reports.

Quoting Javad Khani, the official who is in charge of managing illegal migrants at the National Organisation for Migration in Iran, Tasnim News Agency has stated that there is a possibility of approximately four million illegal migrants being present in the country.

This Iranian official claims that eight main towns in Iran--Tehran, Sistan and Balochistan, Khorasan Razavi, Qom, Kerman, Yazd, Fars, and Alborz--are home to 92 per cent of the country's illegal Afghan migrants.

Tasnim News Agency is a semi-official news agency in Iran associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The Iranian official further underlined that at least one million illegal Afghan migrants in the country have received identity cards to date, Khaama Press reported, citing Iranian local media.

According to a Khaama Press report, Javad Khani further noted that the enormous number of migrants in Iran are citizens of Afghanistan, and initiatives have been launched to organise those lacking the necessary paperwork.

Last week, Afghan refugees in Iran raised concerns regarding the increase in deportations, arrests, and harassment by the police, TOLO News reported. The Taliban has called on neighbouring countries to not deport Afghan refugees.

Deportation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan has intensified, and now Iran has also initiated forced deportations.

Afghan refugee representatives in Iran have criticised the Iranian government and the international community for their perceived lack of support and have called on them to address the challenges faced by Afghan refugees.

"Afghan refugees are being deported from Iran. The Iranian people and government are very oppressive towards refugees. Iran pushes out refugees ahead of winter when it is not right," said Spogmai Jabbarkhil, an Afghan refugees' representative in Iran, as per TOLO News. (ANI)