Credible sources have informed media outlets that the Islamic Republic of Iran has not renewed the residency permits for hundreds of former Afghan military personnel who had sought refuge in the country, and has asked them to return to Afghanistan.
Several of these former soldiers, living in Tehran and Isfahan, said their residency permits have expired or are about to expire. According to them, when they applied for renewal at the relevant offices, their requests were rejected, and they were told that no new order for renewal had been issued.
Many of these individuals had previously obtained residency through the office of General Ekramuddin Saree, a former police commander who was assassinated in Tehran. One source stated that in Isfahan alone, around 500 former military personnel are facing this issue. According to him, about 17,000 soldiers were registered with General Saree's office, but the total number of former military in Iran is higher.
These former soldiers are deeply concerned about returning to Afghanistan. They warn that if forcibly returned, they will face serious risks of arrest, torture, and murder by the Taliban. A source close to General Saree's office said he possesses credible documents showing that a number of soldiers were killed by the Taliban after returning from Iran.
He cited the example of a former soldier in Baghlan province who was recently killed in front of his family by the Taliban after returning to Afghanistan because his residency in Iran was not renewed.
A former commander living in Isfahan said he is now facing an uncertain future. "I don't know what fate awaits me and my family if my residency is not renewed," he added. It is not clear whether this policy change by Iran is the result of Taliban pressure or internal developments. Source: Afghanistan International
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