Over 900,000 Afghans Return from Iran This Year; Many Forcibly Deported

Paigard News Agency – Herat Province
Written by: paigard News Agency
Monday, July 8, 2025

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has announced that more than 906,000 Afghan nationals have returned from Iran to Afghanistan since the beginning of this year. Between June 1 and July 5 alone, 449,218 returnees were recorded.

According to an IOM spokesperson, a significant portion of these migrants were forcibly deported. In many cases, they also lost the little financial assets they had. The spokesperson added that the return process has been harsh and inhumane for many, with some individuals being abandoned at the border without access to basic services.

Serious Challenges for Returnees

This large-scale return is taking place while Afghanistan continues to face multiple economic and humanitarian crises, placing added pressure on aid organizations and the current government. Afghan officials have warned that existing resources are far from sufficient to accommodate and support such a massive influx of returnees.

Field reports indicate that many of these individuals are left without shelter, food, or medical assistance in border areas upon arrival. Aid agencies like IOM and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have attempted to provide emergency support, but the level of need far exceeds their current capacity.

Ongoing Deportations Raise Human Rights Concerns

Human rights activists and international organizations have voiced concern over the continued forced deportation of Afghans from Iran. Reports suggest that some Afghans have been deported without due legal process or the opportunity to defend themselves.

Some sources have also reported instances of physical violence, confiscation of belongings, and the separation of families during the deportation process—claims that Iranian authorities have denied.

The International Organization for Migration has called on the governments of Afghanistan and Iran, as well as the international community, to provide sustainable and humane solutions to the escalating migration crisis. The organization stresses that returns should be voluntary, safe, and conducted with dignity.