Askar Jalalian, Iran’s Deputy Minister of Justice for Human Rights and International Affairs, announced that 149 Afghan prisoners have been transferred from Iran to Afghanistan.

He stated on Wednesday, March 19, that these prisoners were handed over to the Taliban to serve the remainder of their sentences.

According to Iran’s IRNA news agency, the transferred prisoners had been incarcerated in the provinces of Sistan and Baluchestan, Semnan, Yazd, and Hormozgan. The report stated that the transfer was conducted in accordance with legal procedures and with the cooperation of Iran’s judiciary, prison authorities, provincial courts, and prosecution offices.

Jalalian noted that most of the transferred prisoners had been convicted of drug-related offences. He also announced that Iran’s Ministry of Justice is committed to continuing the transfer of convicted individuals, particularly citizens of Afghanistan, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Türkiye, in future phases.

Earlier, in February 2024, Iranian officials reported that over the past year, Iran had handed over 1,136 Afghan prisoners to the Taliban. In January 2025, the Taliban stated that Iran was preparing to transfer an additional 1,500 Afghan prisoners.

Previous transfers of Afghan prisoners to the Taliban have raised concerns that some individuals may be opposition members and could face human rights violations.