IRGC arrest 12 Afghans amid intensified crackdown on migrants

Twelve Afghan nationals were arrested on Friday in southwestern Iran, accused of attempting to "abduct several children and teenagers," according to a statement from Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The arrests were conducted by local security forces in collaboration with IRGC during a "surprise operation" also involving the intelligence ministry as reported by the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency. Following their detention, the suspects, allegedly armed with knives, were handed over to judicial authorities for further legal proceedings.

The IRGC’s history of using trumped-up charges to detain vulnerable populations raises concerns about the legitimacy of these arrests and the broader human rights implications on marginalized Afghan communities.

The arrests come against the backdrop of Iran's intensified efforts to reduce its burgeoning Afghan immigrant population. The Iranian Parliament recently proposed a plan to decrease the number of foreign nationals by 10 percent annually. Although the legislation does not specify any particular nationality, it is widely interpreted as targeting Afghan migrants, who constitute a significant portion of Iran's foreign population. According to a report by state-affiliated ISNA, the proposed policy includes stringent limitations on residence and employment for foreign nationals, with the Ministry of Interior tasked with ensuring compliance and overseeing the population reduction.

Since the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, millions of Afghans have flooded into Iran, exacerbating the country’s own economic crisis and straining its already inadequate education, healthcare, and housing systems. The Afghan population has reportedly surged from 2.5 million to as high as 10 million in just three years. This influx has sparked public anger, with accusations that the Iranian government allows this migration to advance its own agenda, possibly recruiting Afghan fighters, a tactic Tehran has previously employed in Syria for military purposes.

Additionally, these actions reinforce the IRGC’s influence within the Iranian government and its ability to enforce stringent policies under the leadership of the new President Masoud Pezeshkian who during his presidential candidacy campaign in June had promised to seal the borders with Afghanistan to prevent the influx of migrants into Iran.

Recently, there have been reports of mass arbitrary arrests of Afghan nationals, with many Afghan migrants reporting harassment, even when they possess legal residency documents.

Amnesty International has previously raised alarm about Afghan nationals being “routinely arbitrarily detained” in Iran and “subjected to torture and other ill-treatment.”

Last month, the rights organization Hengaw issued a warning about the escalating government and societal racism toward Afghan migrants in Iran, describing the situation as "catastrophic."

Given the current political climate in Iran, where Afghan migrants face increasing scrutiny and the government seeks to reduce their presence, the IRGC’s involvement may reflect its intent to justify its actions and strengthen public support by framing these operations as necessary for protecting social stability—whether the threats are real or fabricated.