Increase in Afghan Exiles from Iran Amid Israel’s Spy Operations

Enayatullah Asghari, a 35-year-old Afghan citizen, watched in despair as hostilities erupted between Israel and Iran last month, complicating his refuge in a Gulf nation. With construction jobs in Tehran dwindling, he faced accusations of espionage.

Asghari is one of the tens of thousands of Afghans that Iran has deported back to Afghanistan in recent weeks, amidst concerns from the United Nations about heightened instability in a country already grappling with a humanitarian crisis.

“Finding a place to rent is extremely difficult, and even when you do, the prices are sky-high … there are no job opportunities at all,” Asghari expressed after the long journey back to western Afghanistan.

He feels lost in a country that has been internationally isolated since the Taliban regained control in 2021.

The UN refugee agency reports that Iran has deported more than 30,000 Afghans daily since the conflict escalated, a staggering increase from approximately 2,000 previously.

“We’ve always aimed to be accommodating, but national security is paramount, and naturally, those without legal status must go back,” stated Iran’s government spokesperson, Fatemeh Mohajerani, although she clarified that this is about returning individuals rather than expulsion, despite alluding to anti-espionage actions.

No response has been provided from the Afghan government at this time.

During the 12-day conflict, which recently reached a ceasefire, Iran and Israel exchanged strikes, with the U.S. also attacking Iran’s uranium facilities.

This year, Iran has intensified its scrutiny of foreign nationals, including Afghans, particularly during the conflict, leading to more deportations according to humanitarian officials.

It is estimated that about 2.6 million undocumented Afghans were residing in Iran as of 2022, following the Taliban’s takeover and the withdrawal of international forces from Kabul.

“We were viewed as potential spies and treated poorly,” Asghari lamented. “From ordinary citizens to law enforcement and officials, we were often told that Afghans are our primary adversaries, that we have caused their ruin from within.”

Worry Over Backlash

In an interview, Arafat Jamal, the UNHCR representative for Afghanistan, expressed concern over the backlash against Afghans, noting that anger over the strikes could disproportionately affect them.

“We recognize that they have experienced a terrifying conflict, but we suspect that Afghans are unfairly being used as scapegoats,” he told Reuters in Kabul.

He cautioned about a brewing “perfect storm” for Afghanistan, especially as neighboring Pakistan also began large-scale repatriations of displaced Afghans in 2023.

Adding to Afghanistan’s challenges, the already weakened economy, hindered by sanctions on the banking system since the Taliban’s rise, now faces drastic aid cuts from Western nations.

“This situation is bound to lead to significant instability in the region,” Jamal commented.

The UNHCR’s Afghan operations have secured less than 25% of the required funding this year.

The aid program for Afghanistan has dwindled from $3.2 billion to just $538 million compared to three years ago. This year alone, over 1.2 million Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan, often arriving with little more than the clothes they were wearing.

Iran has announced it will continue to enforce measures against illegal immigrants.

“While we welcome legal migrants—many of whom are poets, writers, doctors, and skilled workers—we cannot accommodate those without proper documentation,” the spokesperson stated.

Ahmad Fawad Rahimi, 26, who’s held a valid work visa for Iran, decided to return home last month due to his family’s concerns about escalating conflict.

During his return, he was apprehended and placed in a detention camp, where he reported limited food and water and high fees for transportation across the border after having their mobile phones confiscated.

“In the past, we would at least receive a warning the first time before being deported on subsequent arrests,” he recounted. “But now we’re treated like spies. They claim Afghans have aligned with their enemies and must leave.”