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In June 2025, more than 230,000 Afghan nationals returned to Afghanistan from Iran, according to United Nations data, as Iran enforced a stringent deadline for undocumented migrants to leave by July 6, 2025. Qatar-based Al Jazeera reports that the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and humanitarian organizations have voiced serious concerns about the mass deportation, warning it could trigger a dire humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
Iran’s government has warned that undocumented migrants remaining after the July 6 deadline will face arrest and forcible expulsion. The policy stems from heightened security measures following a 12-day conflict with Israel and attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities, which have intensified internal security concerns. According to Al Jazeera, Iran initiated the deportation of undocumented migrants in 2023. In March 2025, authorities mandated that Afghans without valid documentation must voluntarily depart by July 7, 2025, or face forced removal. To date, approximately 700,000 Afghans have left Iran, with over half expelled rather than leaving voluntarily. UN data reveals that during the Iran-Israel tensions, an average of 30,000 Afghans were deported daily, a sharp increase from the usual 2,000. This massive repatriation has raised alarms about Afghanistan’s capacity to absorb such a large influx, potentially exacerbating existing humanitarian challenges. Tehran-based Afghan business owner Batoul Akbari, born in Iran, shared her anguish: “This is our home; we were born here. Now we’re being forced to a country we hardly know.” Afghan student Mohammad Nasim Mazahari added, “These deportations are shattering our families.” Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani defended the measures, stating, “Hospitality has always been our tradition, but national security comes first. Those staying illegally must leave.” Public sentiment in Iran is increasingly hostile toward Afghan migrants, with some blaming them for economic woes, including inflation and unemployment. Post-conflict suspicions of Afghans as potential spies have further fueled social media-driven resentment, worsening the situation. Experts warn that Iran’s tough border and security policies risk deepening Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis. Many Afghans, born and educated in Iran, now face an uncertain future, stripped of their sense of belonging and stability.
