Over 230,000 Afghans Returned from Iran in June Amid Deportation Deadline

In June alone, approximately 230,000 Afghan nationals returned to Afghanistan from Iran, as reported by the United Nations, amid a looming deadline set by the Iranian government for undocumented migrants to leave by July 6, 2025. According to Qatar-based Al Jazeera, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other humanitarian organizations have expressed deep concern over the mass deportation, warning of a potential humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

The Iranian government announced that undocumented migrants who fail to leave by the specified deadline will face arrest and forced deportation. This policy follows heightened security concerns in Iran, particularly after a 12-day conflict with Israel and attacks on Iran’s uranium facilities, which have led to a stricter stance on internal security.

Al Jazeera’s report indicates that Iran began deporting undocumented migrants in 2023. In March 2025, authorities issued a directive requiring Afghan nationals without valid documentation to leave voluntarily by July 7, 2025, or face forced repatriation. Since then, around 700,000 Afghans have left Iran, with over half being forcibly deported rather than leaving voluntarily.

The UNHCR reported that during the Iran-Israel tensions, an average of 30,000 Afghans were deported daily, compared to 2,000 during normal times. The mass return of Afghans is raising fears of a severe humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, where infrastructure and resources are already strained. Batoul Akbari, an Afghan restaurant owner born in Tehran, expressed her distress: “We were born here; this is our home. Now we’re being sent to a country we barely know.” Similarly, Mohammad Nasim Mazahari, an Afghan student, said, “This deportation is tearing our families apart.” Iran’s government spokesperson, Fatemeh Mohajerani, defended the policy, stating, “We have always been hospitable, but national security is our top priority. Those residing illegally must return.” Public sentiment in Iran has reportedly turned against Afghan migrants, with some blaming them for rising inflation, economic stagnation, and job shortages. Following the Iran-Israel tensions, suspicions of Afghan nationals acting as spies have fueled hostility on social media, further exacerbating the situation.

Analysts fear that Iran’s stringent border and security measures could deepen the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Many Afghan families, born and raised in Iran, now face an uncertain future, with their identities and livelihoods at stake.