Arrests and Deportations of Undocumented Afghans on the Rise After Iran-Israel Ceasefire
Foreigners residing without valid permits in Iran to be expelled from the country
Get the latest scoop on Iran's crackdown on undocumented foreigners, predominantly Afghans, following the war with Israel.
A recent report by the Iranian news agency Mehr indicates that Iran plans to expel millions of undocumented foreigners by July 6, 2025. This harsh measure comes after allegations of sabotage acts and covert operations by the Afghans, with hundreds of arrests of suspected collaborators and threats of summary trials.
Millions of Afghans reside in Iran illegally, working in various low-wage jobs across the cities. Iran's security agencies had initially planned to deport around two million undocumented foreigners by March 2025.
Tensions between Iran and Israel have led to a resurgence in anti-Afghan sentiment within Iran, fueled by state media and online platforms circulating unverified accusations. This growing hostility has exacerbated the precarious conditions faced by Afghan communities.
The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) has raised concern over the sharp rise in deportations, particularly the disturbing trend of entire Afghan families being forcefully returned. Many deported Afghans report harsh treatment during arrests and deportation processes by Iranian authorities.
Afghanistan remains critically unprepared to absorb and reintegrate hundreds of thousands of returnees, faced with renewed displacement and potential involvement in smuggling networks. The forced returns pose significant humanitarian challenges for both Afghanistan and the broader region.
This situation represents a severe crackdown on Afghan refugees and migrants, with deportations continuing despite international calls for suspension and concern over the humanitarian consequences.
Stay tuned for updates on this evolving story!
Sources: ntv.de, dpa, UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Note: Recent reports indicate that Iran has intensified its efforts to expel an estimated 4.5 million undocumented Afghan refugees, setting a firm deadline for July 6, 2025. This marks one of the largest forced return operations in the region in recent years. Iran has increasingly revoked protections for Afghan migrants and accelerated deportations in response to the war and ongoing tensions with Israel, leading to concerns about humanitarian consequences.
In the wake of the Iran-Israel ceasefire, the Iranian government's community policy has become stricter, with an intensified focus on deporting undocumented Afghans. This policy shift, announced by the Iranian news agency Mehr, is not limited to vocational training or general-news matters, but also encompasses politics and crime-and-justice, involving hundreds of arrests and threats of summary trials.
