In recent months, efforts have been made by some Iranian citizens to expel Afghan migrants from the country. Behind these efforts, several journalists are involved, some of whom write and publish content under pseudonyms on social media, aiming to pressure the Iranian government into deporting Afghan migrants. Some journalists and media professionals operate under their real names in social media and mass media. These journalists and certain media outlets have played a significant role in inflaming the situation for the migrants. Unfortunately, some of these journalists and media figures, in their attempt to distort the Iranian public’s perception and incite them against Afghan migrants, spread false information and unjustly accuse the migrants—claims that are often unacceptable to any rational person and inappropriate for any civilized society, aside from the fact that there are shared linguistic, cultural, and religious ties, a common historical foundation, and a principle of good neighborliness that should exist.
In recent days, excerpts from the debate of an Iranian journalist named Seyed Hadi Kasaizadeh during a debate have been circulating on social media. The full debate lasts slightly more than two hours, during which Kasaizadeh, donned in a journalist’s attire and acting as though he has complete knowledge, spreads misleading information and makes unjust and sometimes shameful accusations. While a few of Kasaizadeh’s statements may be accurate, he deliberately aims to distort and mislead the Iranian public with false and deceptive information to provoke actions against Afghan migrants. To understand who Hadi Kasaizadeh is, I visited his social media pages, especially on X (formerly Twitter), and followed some of his interviews and reports. He is the editor-in-chief of a media outlet called “Freedom Square,” and in some media outlets, he is referred to as an investigative journalist. The language he uses is peculiar; for instance, he refers to waste recycling as the “garbage mafia.” However, what he presents in his role as a journalist—whether in this recent debate, his earlier interviews, or on his social media pages—most of it bears no relation to reality and is pure hate speech. His statements are crude and baseless generalizations, making claims that no reasonable, mature person would utter. He openly espouses racist demarcations, insisting that “all Afghans are either criminals or terrorists unless proven otherwise.”
The Afghan migrant community in Iran, which reportedly numbers several million, undoubtedly contains individuals who are thieves or criminals, which is entirely normal. Every society, even under normal circumstances, has its share of criminals and lawbreakers; otherwise, the existence of vast institutions like courts, prosecutors, and the police would be meaningless. Regarding the presence of terrorists, it should be noted that Iran is a close ally of a terrorist group known as the Taliban and has no qualms about engaging with terrorists. However, for someone claiming to be a journalist to label an entire community of millions as either “criminals” or “terrorists” is irrational and contrary to basic human principles. Kasaizadeh has not limited his hate speech and false accusations to the issue of Afghan migrants, as he has used aggressive language and accusations in other areas as well. For instance, when discussing certain Iranian politicians he disapproves of, he calls them “political vultures.” Additionally, after the killing of Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, by Israel, another user claimed that an Afghan spy had relayed Nasrallah’s location to Israel and called for the expulsion of Afghan migrants from Iran. This user even fabricated a news report using Photoshop, featuring the Euronews logo and title to support the claim. However, just hours before this fabrication, Euronews had published a report from a French media outlet called Le Parisien, stating that an Iranian spy had relayed Nasrallah’s location to Israel. Such fabrications are made to worsen the living conditions of Afghan migrants in Iran. While individuals with such shallow perspectives on complex issues should not be given much importance, unfortunately, in the current tense environment, these individuals can launch anti-migrant campaigns, inciting people against them and making life even harder and more constrained for them. Already, hashtags calling for the expulsion of migrants from Iran have been created.
The fact that people like Hadi Kasaizadeh spread false claims and deliberately incite hatred—sadly, in increasing numbers—is not up for debate. The real question is why Iranian society is moving in this direction and what the consequences of this situation will be for Afghan migrants.
The claims made by some Iranians who spread hate speech against Afghan migrants, regarding the large influx of migrants from Afghanistan, are accurate. Most families in Afghanistan have had one or more members travel to Iran, primarily for labor and to support their families, bearing both bitter and sweet memories of life and work in Iran. Moreover, these individuals generally had a positive and acceptable image of the Iranian people. These facts are well known. Illegal border crossings are also an undeniable reality. However, as a member of the international community, Iran has obligations to uphold and must not violate the rights of migrants. Unfortunately, the forced repatriation of migrants and asylum seekers to a country where their lives are in danger is a daily occurrence by the Iranian government. Moreover, it seems that the Iranian government plays a significant role in this hate speech. Faced with numerous internal and external challenges, the Iranian government, when it feels incapable of managing the situation, often raises the issue of controlling borders and Afghan migrants to prevent public protests. This has been repeated so often that it has now become a hot topic, diverting the public’s attention in Iran each time. The diversion of public attention from domestic problems or foreign policy blunders is one of the main reasons the Iranian government brings up the issue of Afghan migrants. This gives anti-migrant Iranians an excuse to propagate and spread false information, further exacerbating the tension. In reality, this is a cycle where the government initiates anti-migrant rhetoric, which is then eagerly picked up by anti-migrant journalists and media outlets, who in turn pressure the government to implement harsher policies against migrants. This two-way process has worsened the situation for Afghan migrants.
The consequences of this anti-migrant sentiment for the Afghan migrant community are horrific. In addition to the pressure exerted by anti-migrant Iranians on the government, it seems that the collusion between Iranian officials and the Taliban also plays a role in the mass expulsion of migrants. The Iranian government has consistently shown that if a social demand—no matter how humane or serious—is not in line with its agenda, it will ignore it. The government’s response to recent social movements in Iran is a clear testament to this. The fact that the government is accommodating the wishes of a small group of anti-migrant individuals and increasing pressure on Afghan migrants is due to factors beyond the desires of Iranian citizens. In the recent wave of Afghan migrants to Iran, there are individuals who, before the Taliban’s rise to power, worked as security forces, journalists, or civil activists in Afghanistan, now pursued and tortured by the Taliban, with some even being gunned down. Seyed Hadi Kasaizadeh mentioned this in both his debate and an interview with the Islamic Republic newspaper last year. These are people who fled to Iran for their lives, just as they have sought refuge in Pakistan, northern neighbors of Afghanistan, Europe, Australia, and the United States. Deporting this group of Afghan migrants—whether they entered Iran legally or illegally—directly exposes them to torture and execution by the Taliban, something that aligns with the Taliban’s desires. Protecting these individuals is not only an international responsibility for the Iranian government but also a moral obligation.
You can read the Persian version of this analysis here:
