Middle East (Europe Brief News) – Iran ordered undocumented Afghans to leave by July 6, 2024. Nearly 450,000 returned since June 2025. UNHCR, IOM, and Ahmad Mohammad highlight the crisis and lack of support in Afghanistan.
As Aljazeera news reported, Iran ordered undocumented Afghan migrants and refugees to leave the country by July 6, 2024. This caused a large number of people to return to Afghanistan. Since early June 2025, almost 450,000 Afghans have returned. Around 4 million Afghans without proper papers live in Iran.
In total, about 6 million Afghans live in Iran. The UNHCR says that over 1.4 million Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan in 2024. The number of people going back increased a lot in mid-June 2025.
Some days, as many as 40,000 people crossed the border. From June 1, 2025, to July 5, 2025, 449,218 Afghans went back to Afghanistan from Iran. The IOM reports that 906,326 Afghans have returned from Iran this year.
What challenges does Afghanistan face as 450K returnees arrive?
According to the officials, the large number of Afghan returns is making the problems in Afghanistan worse. Afghanistan already has a serious humanitarian crisis. The country has faced war, economic problems, and political issues. It doesn’t have enough resources to help all the returning people.
They mentioned that many returnees are poor and need help with food, housing, and medical care. Aid organizations are struggling to help everyone. The UN and IOM say the situation is not sustainable. They don’t have enough money or access to help.
Iran and Pakistan say they are expelling people because of security and economic reasons. However, human rights groups worry about the deportations. They are concerned about the conditions in Afghanistan.
Many Afghans coming back from Iran say they were forced to leave in bad ways. They shared stories of tough times at border centres. Some migrants said Iranian authorities bothered them, arrested them, and kept them in detention. Some were caught in mass arrests or sent away quickly. They couldn’t get their things or money. Leaving like this caused big money problems.
Many left behind their homes, savings, and jobs. Iranian news often talks about arresting “illegal” Afghans, which makes them scared. Iranian officials say they respect Afghan migrants, calling them “neighbours” and “brothers.” But they also say Iran has limits on what it can do. Officials said the return would be “gradual.” But in reality, the deportations and pressure seem to be happening very fast and harshly.
“The UN has cautioned that this mass return could further destabilise Afghanistan, which already faces entrenched poverty, unemployment, and climate change effects. Forcing or pressuring Afghans to return risks further instability in the region, and onward movement towards Europe,”
the UNHCR said on Friday.
Afghanistan is struggling to handle this crisis. The Taliban government is dealing with poverty, joblessness, and a lack of basic services. They’ve asked for more help from other countries. The Taliban says they want people to return “with dignity.” But most returnees are in a bad way, with no homes, jobs, or healthcare.
Foreign aid has been cut since the Taliban took over in 2021. Officials mentioned that this means organisations don’t have enough money to help. Many Afghans went to Iran to find work and send money home. Now that money source is gone.
