Afghan nationals residing in Iran send out over 4 billion dollars of Iran's currency, said the country's Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar on Wednesday.
"Afghan national have taken many jobs in Iran and they send out over 4 billion dollars of Iran's currency," Najjar told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting with Jean-Luc Lemahieu, Afghanistan representative of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, ISNA reported.
"Over 3 million Afghan nationals are residing in Iran and the country has paid heavy price to protect Afghan brothers and sisters over last three decades."
Najjar also continued some 300,000 Afghan students are studying at Iranian schools. 17,000 Afghans have graduated from Iranian universities and high education centers and 11,000 Afghan students are studying at Iranian universities.
Iran's anti-drug center Chief also called for Afghan nationals to return home, asking the UN and the international community to resolve housing and job problems of Afghans and pave the ground for their return.
He also added Iran is ready to share its experiences on fighting drugs with Afghanistan.
"Some 12,000 tones of opium are available in Afghanistan depots," he said as calling for the UN and the international community to focus on the issue.