IOM Reports Nearly 450K Afghans Depart Iran Since June 1

ISLAM QALA: According to the United Nations’ migration agency, nearly 450,000 Afghan individuals have returned from Iran since early June. This influx follows Tehran’s directive for undocumented migrants to depart by July 6.

Between June 1 and July 5, 449,218 Afghans crossed back into Afghanistan. An International Organization for Migration spokesperson confirmed that the total returns this year have reached 906,326.

In the days leading up to the impending deadline, tens of thousands of Afghans rushed to the border, creating an “emergency” situation at various border points, as reported by the United Nations.

In late May, Iran announced that undocumented Afghans were required to leave by July 6, a move that could potentially affect four million of the six million Afghans living in the country, according to Iranian officials.

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, noted a surge in border crossings since mid-June, peaking at more than 43,000 individuals crossing through Islam Qala in western Herat province on July 1.

In June alone, the IOM reported that over 250,000 Afghans returned from Iran.

UNICEF’s country representative, Tajudeen Oyewale, characterized the situation as “an emergency” in a nation already struggling with a “chronic returnee crisis,” seeing 1.4 million Afghans return from traditional countries like Iran and Pakistan this year.

“What is alarming is that 25% of these returnees are children… the demographics have shifted from individuals to entire families, many of whom are crossing the border with very few possessions and limited funds,” he stated on Thursday.

Although Islam Qala can handle large numbers, it lacks adequate services, Oyewale noted. “When daily crossings exceed 20,000, it drastically goes beyond the planning capacity we have,” he added.

The agency has activated emergency protocols to enhance water and sanitation systems, initially designed for 7,000 to 10,000 people daily, in addition to providing vaccinations, nutrition, and child-friendly spaces.

Many who are crossing reported experiencing pressure from authorities, including threats of arrest and deportation.

“Some individuals are so fearful that they don’t even leave home… They send their children out just for bread, and those kids risk being detained too,” said 38-year-old Aref Atayi about the pressures faced by Afghans in Iran.

“Even if I have to beg in my own country, it’s better than living in a place where we’re treated like this,” he told AFP while waiting at the IOM reception center, hoping to receive support for his family’s resettlement.

Widespread cuts to foreign aid have hampered the response to this crisis, prompting calls from the UN, international NGOs, and Taliban officials for increased funding to aid the returnees.

The UN has warned that this influx could destabilize a country already battling severe poverty, unemployment, and the impacts of climate change, urging nations not to forcibly return Afghan individuals.