Hundreds of former Afghan military and security personnel seeking refuge in Iran face immediate risks of administrative deportation after Iranian immigration authorities rejected their residency renewal applications.
Affected former personnel residing in major urban centers—including Tehran and Isfahan—confirmed to media outlets that their residency permits have either expired or are on the verge of expiration, with official extension requests systematically denied by Iranian authorities.
Administrative Obstacles and Lack of New Executive Decrees
According to statements provided by affected military officers, previous residency protections were tied to specific executive directives mediated through local administrative channels:
- Denial of Renewal Applications: Exiled security officers who submitted formal renewal paperwork to Iran’s Guardianship and Passport Office reported that their applications were uniformly turned down.
- Role of Mediation Offices: Many affected personnel previously secured legal legal status through administrative channels linked to former Afghan military figures, including General Ekramuddin Sapi in Tehran.
- Absence of Extension Directives: Iranian immigration officials reportedly informed the applicants that while previous residency permits were issued under prior special directives, no new executive orders have been issued to extend legal protections for former Afghan defense personnel.
Protection Risks and Involuntary Repatriation Concerns
The denial of legal status leaves former military officers exposed to arbitrary arrest, detention, and forced repatriation to Afghanistan, where returnees face documented threats of retaliation, detention, and extrajudicial targeting by de facto security organs.
Human rights advocates and exiled Afghan veteran networks are urging Iranian authorities to halt deportations and establish clear legal protection frameworks, warning that forcing former security personnel back across the border poses grave threats to their lives.