IOM urges Iran to halt Afghan expulsions

KABUL (Pajhwok): The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has raised concerns over a sharp increase in the forced deportation of Afghan migrants from Iran.

In a report published on Monday, the IOM once again urged all countries to immediately halt the forced return of Afghan nationals — regardless of their immigration status — until conditions are in place to ensure their safe, voluntary, and dignified return.

“Particularly alarming is a significant surge in the number of families being deported – a new and troubling trend, as deportees in previous months were predominantly single young men,” the agency stated.

Throughout May 2025, the IOM recorded the return of 15,675 families from Iran — a 2.3-fold increase compared to 6,879 families in April. The number of undocumented families returning in May 2025 was more than three times higher than in May 2024.

The agency noted that Iranian authorities, in a public statement issued in late May, instructed all Afghans without legal documentation to leave the country by 6 July, a move that could potentially affect up to 4 million people.

Since January 2025, over 450,000 Afghans, including more than 3,000 families, have already returned from Iran, the IOM added.

Reiterating its appeal, the IOM called on all countries to immediately suspend the forced return of Afghan migrants, regardless of their legal status, until adequate conditions exist for a safe and dignified return.

kk/sa