Rights Group Reports Intensified Deportations, Discrimination Against Afghan Migrants in Iran

A human rights organization has reported intensified forced deportations, systematic discrimination and security pressures facing Afghan migrants in Iran amid and after recent conflicts.

Hana stated that Afghan migrants continue to face security fears, risks of arrest and forced deportations despite a ceasefire announced after 40 days of war. During the June 2025 Israel-Iran war, Afghan citizens in Iran underwent extensive inspections, faced accusations and endured pressures disrupting their daily lives, with negative views intensified due to the Fatemiyoun group.

Hana warned against generalizing accusations to all migrants based on specific groups like Fatemiyoun and called for adherence to non-refoulement and anti-discrimination principles.

The UNHCR reported 1.65 million documented Afghan migrants in Iran, 99% living in urban areas of provinces including Tehran, Razavi Khorasan, Isfahan, Kerman, Fars and Qom. It highlighted that 86,253 Afghan migrants have returned from Iran to Afghanistan since the start of 2026, with thousands returning daily during the June 2025 war and now 10 to 100 per day according to a Taliban commission.

An internet shutdown in Iran has hindered communication between Afghan migrants and their families. Pre-conflict pressures included inflation and restrictions on work and residency permits.

Returned migrants face shortages of work and education opportunities, with widespread returns increasing pressure on Afghanistan's humanitarian situation, according to relief organizations.