In 2025, the complex interplay of geopolitical tensions between Iran and Israel has exacerbated the precarious situation of Afghan refugees in Iran, culminating in mass scapegoating and expulsions. Since the outbreak of conflict and Israeli bombardments on Iranian soil in June, Iranian authorities have dramatically intensified efforts to deport Afghan refugees, accusing them of espionage and alleging ties with Israel. This rhetoric and subsequent policies have had devastating effects on Afghan communities residing in Iran, intensifying an already dire humanitarian crisis.
By mid-2025, it is estimated that over 1.5 million Afghan refugees have been driven out of Iran, a figure that includes both forced deportations and voluntary returns prompted by fear and harassment. The enormity of these numbers makes it one of the most significant refugee repatriation crises in modern times in this region, with Afghan nationals bearing the brunt of geopolitical tensions that have little to do with their individual lives.
Forced Deportations and Human Rights Violations
The Iranian government initiated a crackdown on Afghans with a hard deadline of July 6, 2025, for all “illegal” Afghan migrants to leave the country or face forcible removal. This has led to an unprecedented scale of arrests and deportations. According to human rights reports, nearly 600,000 Afghans were forcibly deported from June 1 to early July alone, with children constituting about 25% of those returned.
An Afghan graduate, Dawood, recounted the ordeal many face:
“I know many people who were deported even though they had visas and identification documents. No one is held accountable. I even know of someone who, after showing their visa and passport to officers, had their documents torn up right in front of them.”
This alarming disregard for legal documentation undermines the rights of refugees and represents a breach of international protection norms.
Likewise, accounts from deported Afghans reveal instances of physical violence, humiliation, and verbal abuse. One refugee, Mahmoud, described being beaten and insulted with derogatory names related to the Israel-Iran conflict. Such acts underscore the climate of heightened xenophobia and scapegoating that Afghan communities face in Iran, driven by state-sponsored security narratives.
Scapegoating Amid Regional Geopolitics
Iranian authorities publicly justify these deportations as necessary national security measures, citing an alleged surge in Afghan spies working for Israel amid ongoing conflict. Fatemeh Mohajerani, a spokesperson for the Iranian government, insisted that the deportations are part of broader efforts to safeguard the nation:
“These actions are not a form of mistreatment but necessary security precautions to protect our country from threats.”
However, multiple human rights organizations and refugee advocates denounce these claims as a pretext for ethnic scapegoating. Esfandiar Aban, senior researcher at the Center for Human Rights in Iran, stated:
“Iran is casting out entire communities—men, women, and children—based on prejudice and politics, to a country where their lives and most basic rights are under immediate threat.”
He further emphasized that these deportations constitute clear violations of international law, especially given the lack of due process and protections for refugees.
The influx of Afghan refugees has long been a source of social tension in Iran, often fueling xenophobic attitudes within the broader population. Negative media portrayals exacerbate such sentiments by framing Afghans as criminals or double agents, deepening their alienation and vulnerability to abuses. This toxic discourse has escalated significantly in the wake of the Israel-Iran conflict, making Afghans convenient scapegoats for broader national anxieties.
The Humanitarian Toll in Afghanistan
For the Afghan refugees forcibly returned to Afghanistan, the challenges are immense. Since the Taliban’s regaining control in 2021, the country faces political isolation, economic collapse, and severe humanitarian crises. The rapid return of over 1.5 million Afghan migrants from Iran in 2025 has overwhelmed Afghanistan’s limited resources.
UN agencies have raised alarms about the unsustainable pressure on basic services such as food, healthcare, and shelter. Returnees often arrive without proper support or guidance, many stripped of savings and possessions. An Afghan rights activist, Abdullah Ahmadi, noted:
“Many deported individuals were taken to the border overnight—without shelter, medical assistance, or sufficient food. Some even had to cover their own transport costs.”
Among those returning are families who fled Afghanistan decades ago, now forced back to uncertain futures. Zahra, a young Afghan woman who grew up in Iran, shared her anxiety:
“My husband could be detained at any moment while commuting to and from work and forcibly sent back to Afghanistan, just like many others.”
Her family, like many others, faces profound uncertainty about survival and stability under the Taliban regime.
Iranian Government and Afghan Official Responses
While Iran maintains that all deportations adhere to legal and humanitarian standards, the reality on the ground tells a different story. Iranian officials, such as Nader Yarahmadi from the Ministry of the Interior, asserted publicly:
“Illegal migrants must depart by July 15 at the latest.”
Yet reports of destruction of travel documents and arbitrary arrests contradict claims of lawful treatment.
Conversely, the Afghan government has expressed concern but remains largely powerless diplomatically. The Taliban administration struggles with the massive influx of returnees amid limited economic capacity and international isolation. Experts like relations analyst Ehs Sarwar commented:
“In just 40 days, nearly one million individuals have been deported, overwhelming basic services in western Afghanistan.”
These conditions contribute to an ongoing cycle of displacement and vulnerability for returning Afghans.
International Reactions and Calls for Urgent Action
The United Nations and human rights bodies have decried the scale and nature of Afghan deportations. UN experts described the mass returns as “staggering” with more than 1.9 million Afghans forced to return from Iran and Pakistan in 2025 alone, including many children. They urged the immediate halting of forced returns, highlighting Afghanistan’s unsafe conditions marked by persecution, risks of violence, and systematic human rights violations under Taliban rule.
UNHCR raised concerns about the underfunded status of humanitarian assistance for Afghan returnees, warning that urgent international funding is required to avoid catastrophic outcomes. They also stress the need for protection of vulnerable groups such as women, girls, and LGBT individuals, who face particularly acute dangers amid deteriorating conditions.
The Broader Context of Afghanophobia and Refugee Marginalization
The plight of Afghan refugees in Iran is emblematic of a wider pattern of discrimination and marginalization faced by displaced populations across host countries in the region. For over four decades, Afghans have fled conflicts and poverty, seeking refuge primarily in Iran and Pakistan. Despite hosting millions, these countries have displayed growing intolerance and exclusionary practices, worsening in times of regional crisis.
Afghan refugees in Iran experience systemic barriers to education, employment, and social inclusion. Zahra’s testimony highlighted being denied school access despite legal residency status, demonstrating institutionalized prejudice. These realities coalesce with the heightened scapegoating stemming from security fears during the Israel-Iran conflict, exposing refugees to state and societal hostility.
A Human Tragedy Fueled by Geopolitical Conflict
The mass deportation and scapegoating of Afghan refugees in Iran amid the Israeli bombardment is a profound humanitarian and human rights crisis. It represents a convergence of geopolitical tensions, ethnic discrimination, and refugee vulnerabilities, leaving millions in precarious and dangerous situations.
The statements from Afghan refugees, human rights advocates, Iranian officials, and international bodies present a stark picture: Afghan refugees in Iran are caught in the crossfire of forces far beyond their control, facing state-driven discrimination, violence, and forced returns to an unstable homeland. As the international community observes this unfolding crisis, urgent efforts are required to protect these vulnerable populations and alleviate the humanitarian disaster unfolding in both Iran and Afghanistan.
