Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. representative, strongly criticized the growing wave of anti-Afghan sentiment in Iran, which is justified under the pretext of security threats posed by migrants.
Kabul 24: He rejected baseless accusations against Afghan migrants, emphasizing that they have no access to sensitive information, such as the locations of military officials or Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Khalilzad described these accusations as part of discriminatory and inhumane policies designed to marginalize migrants and justify violations of their human rights.
The wave of anti-Afghan sentiment in Iran, accompanied by negative propaganda and repressive policies, demonstrates a clear violation of Iran’s international human rights obligations. Afghan migrants face forced deportations, severe restrictions on access to education, employment, healthcare, and even basic civil rights.Arbitrary detentions, humiliating treatment, and deprivation of basic living conditions are just some examples of human rights violations against this vulnerable group. These policies contravene the 1951 Geneva Convention on the Status of Refugees and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which Iran, as a member of the international community, is obligated to uphold. By leveraging security narratives, Iran portrays migrants as a threat to national security, thereby legitimizing systematic discrimination and violence against them.
This approach has not only led to the social and economic isolation of migrants but also fueled ethnic tensions and violations of their human dignity.
Khalilzad warned that such unjust behavior reveals the true nature of Iran’s policies toward migrants, urging the international community to take immediate action to halt these human rights violations.
Supporting migrants’ rights, ensuring their access to justice, and creating a safe and equitable environment are not only moral imperatives but also international obligations.
Failure to address this crisis will have far-reaching humanitarian and regional consequences, holding Iran increasingly accountable to global criticism.
The international community must pressure Iran to reform its discriminatory policies and uphold migrants’ rights.
