2.5 million Afghans live in Iran legally

TEHRAN, July 12 (MNA) – The Interior Ministry director for foreign nationals said about 2.5 million Afghans live in Iran legally. “Currently about 2.5 million Afghans are living legally in the country,” Mohammad Tahavori told reporters on Tuesday. Iran has started an effort to regulate the entrance, exit, settlement, and employment of Afghan refugees. He said 1.5 million refugees had previously been registered and received identification cards and passports. Iran has been hosting millions of Afghan refugees since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. Iran has also borne the brunt of drug trafficking from Afghanistan.