Determinant Factors in Immigration of Afghans to Iran

Historically speaking, Afghanistan has been the center of social and tribal crises. In the Cold War era also this country was the arena for confrontation of the two Superpowers. One of the consequences of this confrontation was the massive immigration of Afghanis to Pakistan and Iran. Of course in 1970's, owing to oil flourish in Middle Eastern countries, Iran was the recipient of economic immigrants from Afghanistan. However, this immigration gained momentum after the political conditions of the Cold War had prevailed, and subsequent to the withdrawal of the former U.S.S.R. troops from Afghanistan, the country plunged into tribal skirmishes and new structural complications, the consequences of which affected the lives of immigrants, and which still persists. In the post Cold War era and after emergence of new situations in the region, inter alia due to emancipation of Middle Asian Countries and the State of Azerbaijan from the U.S.S.R.'s presence, exploration of vast volumes of oil and gas in those countries, which attracted the World's attention, and cultivation of great amounts of opium in Afghanistan and the presence of international elements in management thereof, as well as the presence of the United States of America in Afghanistan, we are witnessing new forms of situation, which does affect Afghan immigrants' stay or return determination. The present article is an attempt for identifying determinant factors in immigration of Afghans to Iran.