The Prisons Administration of the Islamic Emirate stated that nearly 200 Afghan citizens who were imprisoned in Iran have been handed over to Afghanistan.

According to officials of the administration, these prisoners had been sentenced to medium- and long-term imprisonment by Iranian courts.

Mohammad Yousuf Mestari, the acting head of the Prisons Administration of the Islamic Emirate, said: "All these prisoners were convicted for drug trafficking and possession. Their total number is 199, and they are residents of various provinces of Afghanistan. All of them will be transferred to their respective provinces within a week."

About a month ago, more than 200 Afghan prisoners were also handed over to the interim government by Iran.

According to local officials in Nimroz, efforts to transfer Afghan prisoners from Iran are ongoing.

Yar Mohammad Haqqyar, head of foreign relations in Nimroz, said: "Repeated efforts by various institutions of the Islamic Emirate at high levels are underway for the release of Afghan prisoners in Iran. We hope this process continues permanently, and as long as there is even one Afghan prisoner in Iranian jails, the Islamic Emirate will continue its efforts to secure their release."

Many of the prisoners who had been sentenced to long terms in Iranian prisons described the situation of other Afghan inmates there as concerning, calling on the interim government to repatriate them as well.

"My request to the Islamic Emirate is to transfer the Afghan youths who are still imprisoned in Iran back to the country. Afghans are facing extreme hardship and injustice in Iranian prisons. I ask the Islamic Emirate to bring them back as soon as possible," said Rohullah Azizi, a released prisoner.

"I was imprisoned in Isfahan and sentenced to fifteen years, of which I have served two and a half. I am very happy to have returned to the country," said Yousuf Noorzai, another released prisoner.

According to available information, more than 5,000 Afghan citizens are currently imprisoned in Iran.

Iranian officials said that these Afghans have been jailed for crimes such as drug trafficking, illegal border crossing, criminal offenses, and other violations.