Geopolitics Quarterly

Geopolitics Quarterly

Investigating the reasons for choosing Iran as an immigration destination for Afghans

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 A Ph.D. Candidate, International Relations, Department of Political Sciences, Faculty of Law & Political Science, University of Mazandaran
2 Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Mazandaran
10.22034/igq.2025.499043.2000
Abstract
Today, migrations are classified into different categories in terms of type and nature. While Iran has been among the main regions receiving immigrants since the Aryans immigrated 4500 years ago, Afghanistan has been an epicenter of sending immigrants since the establishment of the Durrani dynasty. So, Iran has always been a main destination for Afghan immigrants. As the latest statistic shows about 4.5 million Afghan immigrants live in Iran. The question is which features of Iran, particularly in the age of the Islamic Republic, have made it the primary destination for Afghan immigrants? In response, some features can be addressed such as special geographical conditions, socio-cultural cognateness, economic situation, and the Islamic republic regime`s immigration policies. Taking advantage of Ravenstein and Evert lee`s “push and pull” theory as a theoretical framework, the paper conducts a descriptive–analytical narration built on an investigation of history and statistics. The data is collected in a library-based method.
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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 20 July 2025

  • Receive Date 06 February 2025
  • Revise Date 17 June 2025
  • Accept Date 20 July 2025