Over 230,000 Afghans Returned from Iran in June Amid Rising Deportations

Over 230,000 Afghans Returned from Iran in June Amid Rising Deportations
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More than 230,000 Afghans returned from Iran in June, with the majority forcibly deported, Amu TV reported quoting the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The surge in expulsions comes ahead of Iran’s government-imposed deadline of July 6 for undocumented migrants to leave the country.

Between June 1 and 28, a total of 233,941 Afghans crossed back into Afghanistan from Iran, with over 131,000 returning during the final week alone, IOM spokesman Avand Azeez Agha reported. Since January, more than 690,000 Afghans have returned, approximately 70 percent of them through forced removals.

The IOM highlighted a shift in the profile of returnees, noting that recent deportations increasingly involve families rather than predominantly single men. This change reflects mounting pressures as Iran tightens migration controls amid worsening economic conditions domestically and regionally.

At the Islam Qala border crossing in Herat Province, buses regularly delivered families arriving with limited belongings. Many returnees face uncertain futures, as Afghanistan continues to grapple with entrenched poverty, high unemployment, and restricted access to social services under Taliban rule.

While Iranian authorities defend the deportations as necessary to curb illegal immigration, human rights organizations have expressed concern over the humanitarian impact and treatment of migrants. The Taliban government has called for a “dignified” return of Afghan nationals but faces challenges due to limited infrastructure to support reintegration.