In brief
Reports indicate a significant surge in expulsions, with over 30,000 Afghans crossing daily since late June.
Iran is witnessing a significant uptick in the mass deportation of Afghan refugees, with around 800,000 individuals expelled since March as part of a stringent drive by Iranian authorities. This campaign, which escalated notably in June, has left thousands of Afghans navigating their way back to an already impoverished Afghanistan.The United Nations' refugee agency spokesman, Babar Baloch, revealed that about 600,000 Afghans have been forcibly returned between June 1 and early July, correlating with heightened tensions following a recent conflict between Israel and Iran. Iranian officials have suggested that many Afghans may be acting as spies for Israel, fueling suspicions and leading to a wave of deportations, especially with a July 6 deadline looming.Despite Iran's historical role as a major host country for refugees—supporting around 3.5 million displaced individuals, primarily from Afghanistan—aid organizations believe there are even more undocumented Afghan refugees present. Under current policies, reports assert that even those with valid visas or documentation have been subjected to expulsion.Arafat Jamal, representing the UN refugee agency in Kabul, expressed the intensity of the situation, noting, "There’s a bit of a frenzy at the moment," indicating that resistance to deportations is virtually nonexistent amid rising anti-Afghan sentiment. With daily crossings sometimes exceeding 50,000 individuals, the humanitarian implications for Afghanistan—already facing substantial hardship—are dire as this exodus continues.
