NOURNEWS- Strangely enough, the issue of Afghan citizens with the approach of “Afghanophobia” has risen in social media and some media platforms, and it is addressed from different angles.
Predictably, according to studies, the same mindset is forming among Afghan public opinions.
The question that has emerged among different social groups these days is that what exactly has happened that has filled social medias and media outlets with targeted news and reports about Afghan immigrants, and why there is more emphasize on the “differences” rather than “similarities” between the two nations?
Since Afghanistan’s establishment in 1747 as an independent political country in Central Asia by Ahmad Shah Durrani, and for at least the past fifty years, Afghanistan has suffered from many internal disputes and the encroachment of foreign powers and has set harrowing and tragic pages in its history.
These unfortunate developments have turned Afghanistan into a country with one of the highest immigration rates in proportion to its population.
On the other hand, for the abovementioned reasons, during these years, and especially since the Taliban has regained power in the country, a significant proportion of these migrants have chosen Iran as their destination for migration.
With these explanations, there are at least a few important questions surrounding the issue that public opinion needs to hear an accurate answer about:
First, is the wave of immigration of Afghan nationals to Iran based on legal and supervised rules and if not, what are the reasons?
Secondly, is Afghan migration a threat to a country with Iranian characteristics, or is it an opportunity, what are its dimensions, and should we be concerned about this?
Thirdly, what are the turning points of the media outlets and opposition media’s targeted reports regarding this issue?
Fourth, is the Islamic Republic of Iran managing this phenomenon, or is the situation similar to some claims and the situation has gone out of control?
The answer to the first question should be addressed from several angles, the most important of which is to find the root of the internal developments in Afghanistan and the role of external factors in it, because it is almost no secret that the main factor in the current situation in Afghanistan is foreign interventions, especially the US-led NATO forces during the past 20 years of occupation of the country.
The occupation of Afghanistan by the US and its NATO allies, which was carried out in 2002 under the pretext of fighting terrorism and specifically the Taliban, led to their humiliating withdrawal from the country and the return of the Taliban to power, and the occupation of this country did not bring Afghan citizens' security, stability and tranquility, but rather, the occupation of Afghanistan led to the plunder of the country's national wealth and has turned into the most indispensable reason of the wave of Afghan immigration.
Another angle is that, when after years of hardship and displacement the oppressed and suffering people inevitably decide to migrate, logically choose a destination that has the best possible conditions for their future, so considering all the components mentioned in the initial lines and of course the inappropriate attitudes of other countries, including Europeans regarding the phenomenon of immigrants, logically due to its closeness, cultural, linguistic and religious commonalities, Iran is the best destination for Afghan immigrant, and we should not be shocked by this phenomenon.
Regarding the second question, it should first be noted that the phenomenon of migration and immigration to a country is not necessarily a negative and harmful phenomenon, and the countries involved in this issue always try to reduce the threat aspects of this phenomenon and focus on using its opportunities.
A quick look at the way migrants uses their capacity in developed or developing countries provides many examples of how these countries have been able to create a potential opportunity out of a threat and use it to strengthen their economic, cultural, and political-security spheres.
Now, the question may arise: how can a country with specific economic and security conditions such as Iran compare with successful examples such as developed countries of using the capacity of immigrants?
The answer is clear, despite some ill-intentioned and targeted atmospheres that try to make Iran a mere loser regarding this subject, and thereby foment hatred between the two nations, both in the economic sphere, especially from the point of view of immigrant employment in important but unfavorable sectors for Iranian citizens, both in the cultural sphere from the point of view of civilizational expansion and in the political-security sphere, in terms of psycho-psychological identification, Iran has benefited from this issue.
However, although this phenomenon, like many such issues, can become a threat and security knot if mismanaged and gone unchecked, but in its essence, it is not like this in the case of Afghan nationals, and with full aristocracy and necessary managements, this phenomenon can lead to significant opportunities, and we should not be worried about it.
In response to the third question, given the above-mentioned facts about the behavior of foreigners and their history in the developments of West Asia, it should be said that the West's strategy, especially the US and Britain, is based on creating crises and dividing nations that, if united, would jeopardize Western countries interests.
The history of Western interventions in different regions, from the Far East, the subcontinent and West Asia to Eastern Europe, Africa, and Latin America shows that “securing interests” through divisiveness, creating insecurity and warmongering is their customary method, accordingly, it is natural that they use any subject to escalate discord due to their lack of direct presence and rely on psychological operations based on the principles of cognitive warfare.
In response to the fourth question, as mentioned above, firstly, all attention should be focused on the characteristics of the field in which the West wants to entangle Iran. In this regard, addressing the various and complex aspects of the issue of “Afghanistan” in the grand strategy of the Islamic republic of Iran from different political, security, cultural, economic and social angles is very important and necessary.
Just reviewing the dangerous scenarios that the Americans did after the agreement with the Taliban in Doha to engage Iran in a military war on its eastern borders is enough to understand how the Islamic Republic's ruling with full vigilance kept the country from falling into a grim scenario and a war of attrition.
In line with these facts, biased narrations of media during the summer of 2021 clearly shows that how the western media used similar methods which we are seeing these days. While provoking public opinion (which unfortunately many people inside the country have also fallen into and fueled it even furthermore), this strategy tried to force the wise power of the Islamic republic of Iran to commit a computational error.
Accordingly, be assured that the relevant authorities and decision-making bodies in this field, are knowledgeable about all aspects of the issue and have a special sensitivity towards the issue, and contrary to the claims that are being made these days on social medias and opposition media outlets, as well as the creation of a stage for inciting Afghan phobia, the various dimensions of this phenomenon are under the control of the government and the governing bodies are taking the needed actions to manage it.
BY: Pooya Mirzaei