Key Facts
• Iran initiated mass deportation of Afghan refugees in summer 2025.
• Over 500,000 refugees deported in just 16 days, with 1.5 million estimated for 2025.
• Iran set a July 6 deadline to expel 4 million undocumented Afghan refugees.
• Refugees include second and third generations born in Iran, never having lived in Afghanistan.
• Afghan refugees face systemic discrimination, exploitation, and lack of legal protections in Iran.
• Iran has historically used Afghan refugees as cheap labor and even conscripted them for military conflicts.
• Refugees deported to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan face harsh conditions, especially women under gender apartheid.
• Local Afghan communities in Herat are stepping in to assist returnees with basic needs.
• Social media reports highlight violence against Afghan refugees, including deaths and disappearances.
• Iran’s government uses refugees as scapegoats to divert public dissatisfaction with domestic issues.
Summary
Iran’s mass deportation of Afghan refugees in 2025 has created a humanitarian crisis. Over 1.5 million refugees are expected to be forcibly returned to Afghanistan, including many born and raised in Iran. Refugees face systemic discrimination, exploitation, and lack of legal protections in Iran, with some conscripted into military conflicts. Deportees return to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, where women face gender apartheid and the government offers no support. Local communities in Herat are stepping in to provide aid, but resources are limited. Social media reports reveal violence against refugees, including deaths, as Iran’s government uses them as scapegoats to deflect domestic unrest. The situation underscores the dire choices faced by Afghan refugees and the urgent need for international attention.
