Increasing Pressure on Migrants in Iran and the Fear of Forced Return of Families to Afghanistan
Sadly, after 45 years of Afghan migrants' presence in Iran, the host government still lacks a comprehensive and transparent policy regarding migrants and refugees
By: Abdul Aleem Burhani
In the past year (2024 & 2023), Iran faced political, security, and economic challenges, along with a major regional crisis. For Afghan migrants, it was one of the most difficult years of their time in Iran. A wide-scale deportation of undocumented individuals—and even some with valid legal documentation—was carried out. Migrants experienced communication and banking restrictions, widespread anti-migrant propaganda and xenophobia across social media, newspapers, and television; the installation of warning billboards in certain cities and neighborhoods; threats and insults from parliamentary platforms by some representatives and officials; and the imposition of financial burdens such as a 100-million-toman deposit in exchange for promised residency and insurance for those with census registration slips. These were just part of the growing pressures placed on Afghan migrants.
At the start of 1404, the Islamic Republic of Iran is once again facing external threats and international tensions. Alongside these, restrictions and pressure on Afghan migrants have also intensified. While the Afghan migrant community understands the political and economic pressures on Iran, the expulsion of vulnerable migrants does not contribute to resolving Iran’s internal challenges. Political rationality suggests that in such conditions, all of the Islamic Republic's resources should be directed toward fostering national, regional, and international cohesion—strengthening political, economic, security, and defensive infrastructures, and enhancing deterrence capacities against actual and potential threats. Unfortunately, however, as external tensions rise, we are witnessing a simultaneous increase in psychological and physical pressures on defenseless Afghan migrants and refugees.
Currently, it appears that the presence of Afghan migrants is considered by some Iranian officials to be more threatening than the dangers posed by the United States and Israel—or perhaps the perceived threat from migrants is more tangible to them, though incomprehensible to the migrants themselves.
According to officials from Iran’s Bureau for Aliens and Foreign Immigrants Affairs (BAFIA), more than one million undocumented Afghan migrants have been deported since last year. With the beginning of the new year, arrests have surged to unprecedented levels. One-month exit deadlines have been issued for those with census participation documents and no school-aged children, while three-month deadlines apply to those who do have school-aged children. New proposals, such as taxing migrants, have further alarmed migrant families living in Iran.
In the absence of a national, legitimate, and accountable government in Afghanistan, many families affected by these return schemes fear for both their current situation and the future of their children. Families who fled to Iran in hopes of securing education for their daughters know that if they are forcibly returned to Afghanistan, their children will be deprived of this fundamental right, just like millions of other Afghan students.
One proposed plan includes requiring DNA tests from migrant families to prove parental relationships and the identity of their children. If implemented, this would not only be deeply insulting but would also create significant challenges for many families.
Another policy being implemented involves the classification of former military and government personnel who fled to Iran after the Taliban's return to power. These individuals, who possess documents proving their service and the dangers they face in Afghanistan, are reportedly being issued six-month residence permits while their cases are reviewed. Given the collapse of Afghanistan’s political structure, many of these former military personnel are compelled to accept any terms offered by the host country. However, allowing different institutions access to the identities, backgrounds, and personal data of thousands of former military personnel could result in serious political and security consequences.
While intelligence-sharing between governments is a common practice, there is deep concern over unauthorized access to lists of thousands of Afghan security and military personnel—putting their lives at risk should their residence permits not be extended and they be forcibly returned to Afghanistan before a legitimate and stable government is established. Our concern is rooted in instances where, during the nights of Ramadan, some of these individuals were registered in a city mosque by unofficial individuals without proper security protocols.
Sadly, after 45 years of Afghan migrants' presence in Iran, the host government still lacks a comprehensive and transparent policy regarding migrants and refugees. Ad-hoc decisions have only added to the confusion of both the Iranian authorities and the migrant community.
Two years ago, the "National Migration Organization" was proposed. But despite back-and-forth discussions between the government and parliament, the fate of this body remains unclear. Last year, this organization launched a plan encouraging migrants with census registration documents to invest 100 million tomans in exchange for promised residency and insurance. Despite extensive promotion, the plan only delivered documents and services to a small fraction of applicants, while billions of tomans were collected from thousands. Now, officials from the Bureau for Foreign Nationals Affairs have announced that those who paid will be issued letters during their exit registration process allowing them to reclaim their deposits from the bank—though the real value of that money has dropped to less than half since the time of deposit.
In short, the sudden and forced return of hundreds of thousands of migrants and their families to Afghanistan will carry serious social, economic, cultural, and security consequences. Among these, the expulsion of families will deprive thousands of students of their right to education—a matter that has caused deep concern among Afghan migrant families in Iran. Many of these students were born in Iran and are completely unfamiliar with life in Afghanistan.
The classification of former military personnel and government employees is a critical issue with multiple dimensions that must be carefully considered. The fate of thousands of Afghanistan’s military and defense forces now hangs in the balance—dependent on the rationality and foresight of officials in the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is hoped that those in charge will take all dimensions of these complex issues into account in their planning—with wisdom and prudence.
