IOM says, Over 1.2 Million Afghan Refugees Deported From Iran in 2024
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has reported that over 1.2 million undocumented Afghan migrants were deported from Iran to Afghanistan in 2024. This substantial number of forced deportations has significantly worsened the already persisting hazardous situation in Afghanistan, where returnees are facing economic hardships and humanitarian crisis.
The IOM mentioned that 67% of these returns were forced deportations. IOM also states that “With support from the EU and other donors, IOM provided humanitarian assistance to more than 324,000 returnees during the same period.”
The Iranian government’s decision to deport 2 million Afghan refugees over a six-month period has been driven by economic challenges and rising anti-Afghan sentiment, while similar expulsions from Pakistan are also underway. In 2023, Iran deported nearly 1.3 million Afghan nationals.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), nearly 4.5 million Afghan nationals currently live in Iran, although the actual number could be as high as 6 to 8 million. Many of the migrants lack legal permits, avoiding registration due to fears of deportation.
For decades Iran has hosted millions of Afghan Refugees. Iran’s move to deport Afghan migrants is driven by economic pressures such as soaring inflation, widespread unemployment, and the increasing burden on its overstretched welfare system.
The mass deportation has seen Afghan migrants facing deepening despair as they return to a country struggling with severe economic hardship and a humanitarian crisis. Many returnees include women and former government employees who fled fearing persecution.
Humanitarian organizations are calling for coordinated international support to ensure the protection and assistance of Afghan returnees. The urgent need for long-term solutions to facilitate the reintegration of these individuals into Afghan society is more pressing than ever.
