In the aftermath of the 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel, Iranian authorities have sharply stepped up arrests and deportations involving Afghan refugees. Although there had been expectations that the war might temporarily slow the campaign, Iran’s Interior Ministry has acknowledged that deportation measures remained in place during the fighting and have accelerated since the conflict ended.
Earlier in March, the Iranian government had announced a deadline requiring undocumented Afghan nationals to leave the country. Since hostilities with Israel concluded, however, deportation efforts have expanded to unprecedented levels, prompting humanitarian organizations to raise concerns about both the scale of the removals and the treatment of those being expelled.
Mass Expulsions and Humanitarian Concerns
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that nearly 70 percent of Afghans returning from Iran were forcibly deported, including large numbers of women and children. Arafat Jamal, the UNHCR representative in Afghanistan, has warned that the sudden surge in arrivals is placing enormous pressure on facilities at the border.
“Returns at the borders have become so numerous that they are no longer manageable,” said Jamal. “Sometimes up to five buses arrive from Iran at the same time, carrying men, women, and children who are tired, hungry, disoriented, and shocked.”
More than 230,000 Afghan refugees were sent back from Iran during June alone. Iranian authorities have designated July 6 as the final deadline for undocumented migrants to depart voluntarily, warning that those who remain could face forced removal.
Rising Hostility and Public Incitement
Afghan refugees living in Iran describe a worsening climate of hostility, with some media outlets and public figures urging citizens to identify and report undocumented Afghans. Many refugees say verbal harassment has become increasingly common, including accusations that Afghans are acting as “Israeli spies.”
There have also been reports of individuals being detained or deported despite possessing valid legal documentation. The Dogharun–Islam Qala border continues to experience heavy daily traffic, while a number of returnees have alleged mistreatment by Iranian border authorities.
Security checkpoints have also increased across urban areas, especially in Tehran, following fears surrounding micro-drone attacks during the conflict. Afghan residents appear to have been disproportionately affected by these measures, with some reporting confiscation of mobile phones, questioning, or harassment over residency documents.
Education, Separation, and Statelessness
After the Taliban prohibited girls from attending secondary schools in Afghanistan, many Afghan families relocated to Iran in an effort to preserve educational opportunities for their daughters. Some of those families are now at risk of deportation after Iranian authorities refused to extend their visas.
According to UNICEF, more than 5,000 Afghan children have been separated from their families during the deportation process. A significant number of Afghan refugees have lived in Iran for several generations, yet even people born in the country often remain without Iranian citizenship or access to many basic rights.
Afghans also encounter persistent restrictions when trying to access banking and communication services. Those who arrived after the Taliban returned to power in 2021 have faced particular difficulties opening bank accounts or obtaining SIM cards. Employment opportunities are similarly limited, leaving many dependent on poorly paid and insecure day-labor jobs.
Scapegoating and Misinformation
Authorities in more than 21 provinces, primarily in western Iran, have reportedly introduced restrictions that effectively designate some areas as partially or entirely “Afghan-free zones.” Several of these regions, together with Tehran and Isfahan, were also among the locations targeted by Israeli airstrikes during the recent conflict.
Former Afghan government security officials have disputed Iranian accusations that Afghan refugees were involved in espionage. They argue that the vast majority of those being deported would have neither the access nor the specialized knowledge required to participate in such operations.
At the same time, international media reports citing sources connected to the Iranian establishment have suggested that intelligence leaks benefiting Israel may instead have originated from within Iran’s own security institutions. According to these reports, Israeli intelligence appeared to possess advance information about sensitive IRGC meetings—raising the possibility that the source of the leaks was a high-level insider rather than ordinary Afghan migrants.
A Crisis Without Resolution
The United Nations says that more than one million Afghans were forcibly returned or expelled from Iran and Pakistan during 2025 alone. Iran has meanwhile continued strengthening its eastern frontier through additional walls and security checkpoints, officially citing national security concerns.
An estimated six million Afghans currently live in Iran. Although precise figures remain difficult to establish, UNHCR estimates that at least two million of them are undocumented. As deportations expand alongside longstanding discrimination, social exclusion, and accusations against Afghan communities, humanitarian concerns continue to deepen, with little indication that the crisis will be resolved soon.
