As Iran prepares to speed up the expulsion of undocumented migrants from its east, Türkiye’s eastern border is being reinforced against illegal crossings. In Van, the eastern province where Türkiye has the longest border with Iran, security measures are highest against irregular migration, smuggling and infiltration by terrorists. A concrete wall straddling a line of about 180 kilometers (112 miles) is still under construction, with construction completed in most places. Elsewhere, towers fitted with thermal cameras and other high-tech surveillance equipment oversee the line.
Troops known as “Border Eagles,” gendarmerie troops and volunteer security guards are active on the border, while police squads regularly patrol central Van and its districts near the border against irregular migration.
Authorities tap everything for effective monitoring, from motion sensors to drones. At Kapıköy border crossing in Van’s Saray district, security officers monitor Iranian tourists and those leaving for Iran.
Türkiye is constructing a modular wall along a line of 295 kilometers on the border. Crews are currently installing concrete blocks completed for 180 kilometers of the line. Atop every block is three lines of barbed wire. A 320-kilometer energy supply line was also installed for electro-optical towers on the border. Across a lane stretching for 220 kilometers, troops accompanied by dogs conduct patrols.
Ankara last week refuted claims that some irregular migrants Iran plans to expel would be sent to Türkiye.
Authorities in Iran earlier this month unveiled plans to deport some 2 million people without legal residency status by the end of March.
“It’s false to deduce from Iran’s decision to deport 2 million illegal migrants that these migrants will come to Türkiye,” Defense Ministry sources said, assuring that Turkish borders are heavily surveilled and protected. “Furthermore, the number of illegal migrants trying to cross over to Türkiye is at a five-year low,” the sources said.
A debate about the large number of migrants from neighboring Afghanistan, who have been fleeing their country since the Taliban takeover in 2021, has been raging in Iran for months.
Türkiye, which already hosts 4 million refugees, more than any other country in the world, is a main destination for irregular migrants trying to cross into Europe, especially since the beginning of the Syrian civil war in 2011. Many hope to make the perilous journey to Greece over Türkiye’s land or sea borders.
