An Iranian official has announced that at least 140000 Afghan migrants were expelled through the Dogharoun border crossing between 22 June and 1 July. It shows a sharp increase compared to the same period last year.

Mehdi Rajabi, the political and security deputy of the Taybad governor’s office, told local media that the volume of deportations has surged in recent days. He said 21050 Afghan migrants were returned to Afghanistan on 1 July alone, a figure he described as unprecedented.

Rajabi stated that the final deadline for undocumented migrants to leave the country is 6 July, adding that deportations will increase over the next three days.

He also said that many undocumented migrants have recently been transferred to holding camps in Hasanabad, in Shandiz district, and Sefid Sang, in Fariman, where they undergo legal exit procedures before being sent to the border.

According to Rajabi, around 250 buses are being used daily to transport Afghan migrants from across Iran to the Dogharoun border crossing, which lies in northeastern Iran near the city of Taybad.