Many Afghans returning from Iran say that due to Israeli attacks and pressure from the Iranian government, they have lost all their belongings and returned to Afghanistan empty-handed.
Many said they had lived in Iran for years and had built a life there, but during their return, they were unable to bring even their household items with them.
Zelgi, one returnee, said: “They didn’t return my house deposit, and 500 million tomans remain with the landlord. I showed the exit permit to the relevant offices and requested my money, but they said, ‘We can’t give you your Afghan money.’”
Abdul Jalil, another returnee, stated: “Our household items remained in Iran, and Iranian police took our cash, wallets, and mobile phones. We complained everywhere, but no one listened. Thousands of Afghan migrants are being held in camps, and some have lost their lives.”
Nasir Ahmad, who returned with his family from Tehran after thirteen years, set foot on Afghan soil at the Islam Qala border.
He said: “This year, the Iranian government issued us exit permits and told us to leave the country. Now that we’re back in Afghanistan, we’re left with nothing and no future.”
Local authorities in Herat say that most returning migrants left their money and assets behind in Iran, and many don’t even have enough to pay for transportation to their home provinces.
Abdul Zahir Rahmani, Deputy head of the Border Office for Refugees and Returnees in Islam Qala, said: “Migrants say they had rented homes in Iran, and when they asked for their money, they received only about 20 million tomans out of 100 million. One woman said she waited a month to get her money, but the landlord never paid.”
With the continuation of the Iran–Israel conflict and the expiration of residency permits for millions of Afghan migrants in Iran, the pace of returns has sharply increased.
According to local officials in Herat, up to 10,000 people are entering Afghanistan daily through the Islam Qala border alone.