United Nations: Approximately 440,000 Afghan Migrants Have Returned from Iran and Pakistan This Year

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has reported that in the first four months of 2024, nearly 440,000 Afghan migrants have returned to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan.

According to OCHA, during this period, 392,600 Afghan migrants returned from Iran and 49,300 from Pakistan, with a small number also returning from other countries.

OCHA highlighted major challenges facing returnees, including protection risks, lack of shelter and housing, health, education, legal documentation issues, integration into communities, specialized health services, and the impact of uncertainty regarding the political and security situation.

The return of Afghan migrants from Iran in 2024 has increased compared to the previous two years. In the first four months of last year, 267,000 Afghans returned from Iran, and in the same period in 2022, 299,000 Afghans did so. Last week, the Taliban’s Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation reported that an average of more than 2,000 Afghan migrants are forcibly returned daily from Iran and Pakistan.

On Saturday, 15 June (26 Jauza), the ministry announced that on 24 and 25 Jauza, 775 Afghan migrants from Pakistan and 4,881 from Iran were returned to Afghanistan, both voluntarily and forcibly.

Mohammad Yousef Ahmadi, a spokesperson for the Commission of Returning Migrants from Pakistan, reported on Monday, 10 June (21 Jauza), that since the beginning of 2024, Iran and Pakistan have expelled 400,000 Afghan migrants, with 75% of these deportations originating from Pakistan.

The Taliban government has condemned the deportation of Afghan migrants from Iran and Pakistan, urging these countries to treat Afghan migrants according to international standards.

However, Iran and Pakistan have stated that they are only deporting Afghan migrants who do not have legal documentation to reside in these countries. The Pakistani government initiated the deportation process of Afghan migrants without legal documents in October 2023, which has resulted in approximately 590,000 Afghan migrants returning to their country since then.

Ahmad Vahidi, Iran’s Minister of the Interior, stated on Friday that Tehran cannot accept undocumented nationals, citing local legal and policy constraints. He emphasized that all undocumented nationals must be returned to their countries, and those who are deemed acceptable by the province should be properly organized and closely monitored.

Iran’s Interior Minister stated that the presence of foreign nationals in Iran should be regulated based on labor market needs in the country. According to the United Nations, currently, 4.5 million Afghan migrants live in Iran, and another 3.2 million live in Pakistan.