More than 6 million Afghan refugees living in Iran: Qomi

KABUL (Pajhwok): Iran’s ambassador and special representative for Afghanistan Hassan Kazemi Qomi says more than six million Afghan refugees are living in his country and efforts should be made for their repatriation.

In an interview with Danishjo News Agency, he said: “We have more than six million Afghan immigrants in our country. The migration of Afghans is due to the crises created by Americans.

"Creating differences between the people of Iran and Afghanistan is the line of the enemy. Conditions should be created in Afghanistan for some of these immigrants to return to their country,” he suggested.

According to the ambassador, Afghan elites who studied in Iran could return to their country and play a key role in its progress and prosperity.

A day earlier, Iran’s Interior Minister Ahmad Wahidi said undocumented migrants residing in the Islamic republic must return to their countries.

In Kabul, the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation says over the last nine days, more than 7,500 Afghan refugees have returned to the country voluntarily from Pakistan and Iran.

hz/mud