Resumen de Afghan Migrants in Tehran: Toward Formal Integration
Persistent upheavals in Afghanistan since 1978 have resulted in the exodus of a large number of its citizens, with neighboring Iran and Pakistan becoming host to most of these forced migrations. According to Iran’s census figures, there were 1,452,513 documented Afghans living in the country in 2011. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has given a figure of 951,142 for documented Afghan refugees in Iran as of May 2015. In addition to this, UNHCR also reported 620,000 Afghan visa holders and from 1.5 to 2 million undocumented Afghans. The Iranian government has emphasized repatriation as a policy goal vis-à-vis Afghan migrants and has carried out voluntary return initiatives with the assistance of international organizations. However, the voluntary return of 902,000 Afghans from Iran between 2002 and 2012 appears to have been offset by fresh migration that has maintained their overall population in the country.
