Turkey-Iran Border and Irregular Migration From a Geographical Perspective

Abstract

The Turkey-Iran border, which is approximately 560 kilometers long and Turkey's second longest border after the Syrian border, has been at the forefront of irregular migration for many years. A mass of migrants, enters Turkey from here every year. This border is regarded as the most significant used by irregular migrants, mainly from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran to enter Turkey and then reach Europe through migrant smugglers. Considering the characteristics of the border, the topographical structure, climate conditions, historical ties between the populations living on both sides of the border, socio-cultural interactions, and economic conditions are important dynamics that ensure the continuity of irregular migration. In this study, the political formation process, the role of geographical factors, and the socio-cultural structure of the border will be discussed. Then, the impact of the geographical structure of the border line on irregular migration will be examined. In addition, the profiles of migrants entering Turkey, the magnitude of the migration, and the actors of irregular migration, particularly smugglers, will be thoroughly investigated. © 2025 Association for Borderlands Studies.