TEHRAN – The head of Iran’s immigration organization on Wednesday rejected foreign media claims that the Afghan refugees living in Iran pose security threats to the country.

“Our understanding is that after failing to revive riots this September, foreign-based media outlets are now looking for new arenas to wrought tension. They want to create conflicts between different ethnicities in the upcoming days and months,” said Abdollah Mobini during an interview with Iranian media. 

The official said creating friction and dispute between Iranian citizens and Afghan immigrants is the enemy’s “new project”, adding that Iranians have so far been able to live peacefully alongside the Afghan people they are hosting. 

“Afghanistan is in an exceptional position and is grappling with various issues. But the country is sure to reach stability and once things are safe and sound, a large number of the Afghan immigrants staying in Iran will choose to return to their homeland”. 

Mobini also pointed out some videos circulating online are intended to provoke anti-Afghan sentiments. One of the videos showing a number of moving military cars, claims that the Taliban is preparing to attack Iranian positions. It was later revealed the images belonged to Pakistani vehicles being operated inside Pakistan’s soil. 

official concluded his remarks by cautioning the people of Iran and Afghanistan that the Israeli regime and the U.S. are behind the recent propaganda campaign which aims to pit the nations of Iran and Afghanistan against each other. 

Since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, there has been an uptick in the number of Afghan immigrants entering Iran. Surveys show that the Afghan citizens deciding to flee the war-torn country are mostly concerned by poverty, hunger, and insecurity. 

There are currently 5 million Afghan immigrants in Iran, according to the Iranian interior minister. 

MHA/PA