The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that more than 632,000 Afghan migrants returned from Iran in the first five months of this year alone.
Many of these returns have taken place without proper legal procedures, and returning migrants have complained of mistreatment and harsh conditions in Iran.
Faramarz Barzin, spokesperson for UNHCR, told “From January 1 to May 31, 2025, more than 632,000 people have returned from Iran to Afghanistan. If we calculate the daily average since April 1, around 5,500 individuals return from Iran each day.”
Similarly, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has reported an increase in the return of Afghan migrants from Iran, stating that in May alone, over 15,000 families returned to Afghanistan.
Yasin and Abdullah, two friends from the same province, had migrated to Iran two years ago due to lack of job opportunities in Afghanistan and have recently returned. They were arrested about a month ago in Iran and deported along with dozens of other migrants.
“They deported us from Kerman to Zahedan, and from Zahedan to Afghanistan. They didn’t provide proper food, and the police treated us badly. We worked for two years, but our employer still has our money. There are no jobs here either.”
Abdullah, another deported migrant, said: “We ask the Islamic Emirate to create job opportunities here so we don’t have to go to Iran again.”
Some migrant rights activists have urged host countries, especially Iran, to treat Afghan migrants with dignity and humanity.
Mohammad Khan Talebi Mohammadzai, a migrant rights activist, told “Considering human dignity, host governments must respect Article 2 of the Human Rights Charter and postpone such deportations.”
Earlier, Iranian authorities announced that all Afghan migrants holding a return permit must leave the country by July 6, 2025 (15 Saratan 1404).