Majority of foreign prisoners in Iran are Afghan citizens: Iranian Official

Askar Jalalian, Iran’s Deputy Minister of Human Rights and International Affairs, has announced that approximately 8,000 foreign citizens are imprisoned in Iran, with the majority being Afghan nationals.

In an interview with ISNA news agency on Tuesday, December 3, Jalalian revealed that a list of 500 Afghan prisoners has been sent to the current administration of Taliban for identity verification and eventual repatriation to Afghanistan.

Jalalian emphasized that these prisoners have been incarcerated for various crimes, including trafficking banned goods, theft, and murder.

According to the Iranian official, the primary charge against these prisoners is drug trafficking, for which Iran’s legal penalties are “extremely strict.”

He further noted that some prisoners have financial penalties, and Kabul must decide how to handle these cases.

Jalalian also stated that the Iranian government is prepared to begin the first phase of repatriation once the Taliban administration provides feedback on the list.

Earlier, Jalalian had mentioned the ongoing process of Afghan prisoner repatriation during his visit to Kabul.

According to an agreement on prisoner transfers between Iran and Afghanistan, established in 2006, the exchange of prisoners between the two countries occurs annually.

Currently, according to figures from Iran’s Ministry of Interior and Judiciary, there are 5,399 Afghan citizens imprisoned in various Iranian jails.

The ongoing process of verifying and repatriating prisoners is an important step in addressing this issue, ensuring that both countries fulfill their international obligations.

However, this situation highlights the broader challenges of cross-border crime, international cooperation between both the nations.

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