The local officials in Abu Shaar province of Iran banned Afghan refugees from access to work and accommodation, the Afghan refugees in Iran said. 

The Afghan refugees said that the local officials in Abu Shaar instructed the residents to not allow the refugees to have access to work or to rent homes.  

“I think the overwhelming number of the Afghan refugees in the recent months of the 1400 solar year caused these problems,” said Inayatullah Alokozai, an Afghan refugee in Iran.  

“Several years ago, due to cultural, social, economic and security reasons, the presence of foreign nationals was banned in various cities in Iran. A ban has recently been announced again in Abu Shaar due to security reasons. The Afghan refugees are facing education and work problems,” said Asifa Stanikzai, a refugee rights activist in Iran.   

The Ministry of Refugee and Repatriation vowed to seek to resolve the solution via diplomatic efforts in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  

“It is unfair in any country that the Afghan nationals are not allowed for work,” said Abdulmutalib Haqqani, a spokesman for the Minister of Refugee and Repatriation.  

The Iran embassy in Kabul said that the ban will be enforced only for those refugees who illegally enter Iran.  

“Every country has the right to have sovereignty and be protected. We want our security to be ensured. Everyone cannot come and go without any accountability. There should be monitoring,” said Sayed Abass Badri, a press officer for the Iran embassy in Kabul.  

The high level of poverty has forced thousands of youth to leave the country through human trafficking.  

“I am obliged to find a work. Here there is no work. Despite many problems, the people need to go to Iran,” said Hassibullah, a resident of Kabul.  

This comes as the European Union announced $7 million in humanitarian aid to the Afghan refugees in Iran.