The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has reported that more than 110,000 Afghans have returned to Afghanistan from Iran since the beginning of 2026. Of these, approximately 40,000 have returned since the escalation of military clashes in the Middle East, particularly following intensified hostilities involving Iran (including U.S. and Israeli strikes starting around late February 2026).
Kabul 24: UNHCR spokesperson Charlie Goodlake (or similar reports attribute similar statements to UNHCR officials in Afghanistan), who recently visited the border area, described the situation as deeply concerning.
He stated: “Last week, I was at the border with UN partners and NGOs to assess the conditions firsthand. Afghan families told us they face an extremely difficult choice: stay in Iran amid ongoing fighting and destruction, or return to Afghanistan—a country many have not lived in for years or even decades.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan itself grapples with severe economic challenges, a massive humanitarian crisis, and persistent tensions with Pakistan.”These returns occur alongside Iran’s ongoing deportations of undocumented Afghan migrants, now compounded by the regional conflict’s impact on safety, economic stability, and daily life.
Reports indicate roughly 1,700 Afghans crossing back daily through border points like Islam Qala since the conflict intensified, fleeing insecurity, skyrocketing prices, job losses, and threats of violence or forced expulsion.Returnees have shared harrowing accounts.
Rahmatullah, one recent returnee, said: “The situation in Iran is bad. For years they told us to go back to our own country, and now they are expelling us by force.” Khudadad, another returnee, added: “Prices have gone extremely high in Iran, and things are getting worse every day.”Many of those returning urgently call for support from Afghanistan’s Islamic Emirate authorities and international aid organizations to rebuild their lives, including access to food, shelter, jobs, healthcare, and reintegration assistance.In a message marking Eid al-Fitr, the leader of the Islamic Emirate urged Afghan citizens to show solidarity and assist returning migrants in settling back into society.
UNHCR has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting returnees through partnerships and aid programs, despite severe resource constraints.
The agency warns that continued escalation in the region could trigger even larger return movements, placing immense pressure on Afghanistan where over half the population already requires humanitarian assistance amid ongoing economic hardship and crises.
This surge adds to massive returns in recent years: nearly 1.9 million Afghans returned from Iran in 2025 alone, part of over 5 million total returns from neighboring countries since late 2023.
