Afghanistan Peace CampaignThe increase in returnees has raised concerns among the United Nations and human rights organizations, who have called for a halt to forced deportations.
Sadeq, a 36-year-old man who had lived in Iran for about 30 years, was deported from that country, and his life suddenly changed.
The hopeless looks of Sadeq’s family reflect the hardship of recent days. His story, like many other returnees, is not much different. “Having legal documents” did not prevent his forced return.
Sadeq, deported from Iran, said: “We had residency, had obtained smart cards. They gave me fifteen days and said you must leave Iran. We left Iran. We were deported and came to Afghanistan. Our house money remained there.”
Abdulmalek, deported from Iran, said: “The insult that Afghans face in Iran doesn’t happen in any other country. In Germany or other countries, if you live more than four years or if a child is born there, they become a resident and citizen. But I, who was in Iran for thirty years, have no documents to prove my work, not even a SIM card in my name.”
The International Organization for Migration has reported that from the beginning of this year to June 29, 2025, more than 714,572 Afghan migrants have returned from Iran. Of this number, 99% were undocumented and 70% were forcibly deported.
A part of the IOM report added: “In total, IOM has recorded 714,572 Afghan migrants who returned from Iran between 1 January and 29 June 2025. Of these, 99 per cent were undocumented and 70 per cent were forcibly returned. A growing concern is the rise in families being deported, marking a shift from previous months when most returnees were single young men.”
According to the IOM report, over 256,000 people entered the country in June alone.
Statistics from the UN Women’s division also show that in the past 21 months, 48% of women and girls returned from Pakistan, and in the last 24 days, 30% of women and girls returned from Iran to Afghanistan.
Mohammad Khan Mohammadzai, a migrant rights activist, said: “The international organizations and the United Nations must take practical action in this regard, otherwise if fundamental measures are not taken, the wave of returning migrants will cause a humanitarian catastrophe in Afghanistan.”
The UN Secretary-General’s spokesperson, quoting the UNHCR, has warned that with the increase in migrant returns, the situation in Afghanistan is becoming increasingly unstable and unbearable.
“UNHCR warns that as the numbers of Afghans returning rise, the situation is becoming increasingly unsustainable. We continue to stress that the returns of refugees must be safe and must be voluntary and it must be dignified,” Stéphane Dujarric, the UN Secretary-General’s spokesperson, said.
The increase in forced deportations of migrants has triggered widespread reactions. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have called on host countries to immediately stop this process.
Zaman Soltani, regional researcher at Amnesty International, said: “We have been urging Pakistan and Iran to immediately stop and halt all forced deportation of Afghan refugees. More than half of the country’s population are in need of humanitarian assistance. Women and girls, nearly half of the populations are denied from their most basic and fundamental rights. Those critical of the Taliban, including members of the former government, can and could face arbitrary arrest.”
Fereshta Abbasi, a researcher at Human Rights Watch, also said: “Human Rights Watch is deeply concerned about the deportations of Afghan refugees from Pakistan. These individuals are being deported back to a country that is suffering one of the worst humanitarian and human rights crisis in the world. More than half of the Afghanistan’s population will face food insecurity by the end of this year.”
Meanwhile, the Islamic Emirate has also repeatedly called for preventing the forced deportation of Afghan migrants from host countries since the start of the expulsion process.