Kabul condemns mistreatment of Afghan refugees in Iran

ANKARA

Afghanistan's interim government on Friday condemned the mistreatment of Afghan refugees in Iran, urging Tehran to take action to prevent further abuses.

The Foreign Ministry in Kabul said in a statement that recent events in Iran highlighting the mistreatment of Afghan refugees by Iranian security officials are deeply condemnable.

"This situation has raised significant concerns for the Afghan government, with certain biased groups attempting to exploit these incidents to damage the positive relations between the two nations," said the ministry.

However, the statement made no mention of specific incidents of mistreatment of Afghans in Iran. However, a recent Voice of America report, citing the Norwegian-based human rights organization Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, said anti-Afghan racism in Iran has increased in both the governmental and social spheres.

The Foreign Ministry expressed gratitude to the Iranian people for their hospitality toward Afghan refugees, and they also appreciated the support provided by Iranian officials.

However, Kabul urged Iranian authorities to take action against those responsible for the recent violations and hold them accountable.

According to the UN refugee agency, approximately 4.5 million Afghan refugees are living in Iran.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid