Millions of Afghans in Iran Face Deportation 

Millions of Afghan refugees and migrants in Iran are facing mass expulsion this week as a government-imposed deadline to leave the country expired Sunday, amid heightened public anxiety following the recent 12-day conflict with Israel and the United States, Al Jazeera reported. 

Iranian authorities, citing national security concerns, had ordered all undocumented Afghans to leave voluntarily or risk arrest before a July 6 deadline, prompting an exodus that humanitarian agencies warn could destabilize Afghanistan, while putting the deportees, especially women, in grave danger from the Taliban. 

Iran hosts an estimated 4 million Afghans, many of whom have lived in the country for decades. But the country launched a campaign in 2023 to deport foreigners living “illegally” in the country. 

In March, the government ordered Afghans without the right to remain to leave voluntarily by July 6 or face expulsion. 

Since then, more than 700,000 Afghans have left the country, including more than 230,000 in June alone, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).  

The United Nations Refugee Agency said Tehran deported as many as 30,000 Afghans daily during the conflict with Israel.  

Deportations have included thousands of unaccompanied women, a departure from earlier policies that primarily targeted undocumented male laborers. Afghan women, who are barred from traveling alone or working under Taliban law, are especially vulnerable. 

Several women told the Guardian they were being detained in Iran and forcibly returned without notice or their belongings. Many now find themselves stranded at Afghan border crossings in extreme heat, lacking shelter, food or legal support. 

Amid the controversy, Iranian officials insisted that they have “always striven to be good hosts,” but noted that “national security is a priority, and naturally, illegal nationals must return.” 

Iranian authorities have denied accusations of anti-Afghan sentiment, though displaced individuals and humanitarian workers report increasing hostility and abuse. Observers added that Afghans have been blamed for some of Iran’s economic hardships and societal issues, including accusations that they were spying for Israel, Al Jazeera added. 

Tens of thousands of Afghans fled their homeland in August 2021 when the Taliban returned to power following the withdrawal of the US military and its allies from Afghanistan.  

Similar crackdowns have taken place in Pakistan, which announced in March it would expel 3 million Afghans this year, the Associated Press noted. 

Afghan refugees in the United States also face uncertainty, as the Biden-era Temporary Protected Status (TPS) will expire on July 12, the Military Times wrote. 

The Department of Homeland Security said Afghanistan no longer meets TPS criteria, despite concerns from US veterans and human rights groups who warned that the Taliban continues to persecute former US allies, vulnerable minorities, and women.