Recent reports indicate that Iran has expelled around 800,000 Afghan refugees since March 2025, with a significant increase in deportations following a July 6 government deadline. This situation poses significant humanitarian implications for the returning individuals, as Afghanistan remains mired in poverty and instability.
Iran's Increased Deportation of Afghan Refugees: A Critical Humanitarian Crisis
Iran's Increased Deportation of Afghan Refugees: A Critical Humanitarian Crisis
Nearly 800,000 Afghans have been expelled from Iran under a stringent deportation policy, exacerbated by geopolitical tensions and humanitarian challenges.
Hundreds of thousands of Afghans are enduring a harrowing return to their home country as Iran ramps up its deportation campaign, which has seen approximately 800,000 individuals expelled since March 2025. This surge in deportations has been particularly pronounced since June, coinciding with a volatile political climate and a new directive from Iranian authorities mandating undocumented immigrants to leave.
According to Babar Baloch, a spokesperson for the UN refugee agency, nearly 600,000 of these deportations occurred between June 1 and the first week of July, peaking at over 50,000 Afghans crossing back into Afghanistan on one day alone. International aid workers describe the conditions faced by returnees as dire, with many arriving hungry, exhausted, and in desperate need of assistance.
The Iranian government, which has historically hosted the largest population of refugees globally, citing over 3.5 million refugees living within its borders, appears to be shifting policies amid rising perceptions of Afghan refugees as potential threats. Following a recent armed conflict involving Israel, Iranian officials have voiced increased suspicion towards the Afghan populace, suggesting that some may have affiliations with foreign adversaries. This climate has possibly fueled the urgency to expel undocumented Afghans quicker.
While Iranian officials claim that documented refugees will still receive asylum, reports challenge this narrative, highlighting that individuals who legally obtained visas were still forced to depart. "The gloves are off," explained Arafat Jamal, the UN refugee agency representative in Kabul, emphasizing that few will oppose the current wave of deportations.
As these mass exoduses unfold, the humanitarian implications for Afghanistan are significant, given its already precarious economic condition. Organizations focused on refugee support warn that this return could stretch the already limited resources available in the impoverished nation, signaling a potential escalation of humanitarian needs within its borders.
