Iran is stepping up its deportation of undocumented Afghan migrants. It says it's tightening security, particularly following Israel's attacks in June. The impact is being felt by people in camps along the border.

Tehran

Iran has increased the forced deportation of undocumented Afghan migrants following a year marked by conflict, sanctions, and rising security concerns. The government set deadlines for Afghans to leave and intensified removals after regional tensions escalated, particularly in June.

Many Afghan families, some of whom had lived and worked in Iran for years, are now returning to Afghanistan, often facing economic hardship and uncertainty. While authorities state that deportation does not apply to children or women without guardians, and some Afghans leave voluntarily, support services in camps attempt to address the humanitarian needs of those affected.

Undocumented Afghans forced out of Iran in name of security

When the minibuses come, the families pile on board, carrying what little they own. Children cling to parents, a scene heavy with exhaustion as they face an uncertain future. They are leaving Iran. This is Al Ghadir temporary camp, about 250 kilometers away from the nearest border crossing. Afghan migrants, most of them undocumented, are gathered here, getting prepared to leave. Earlier this year, Tehran set a mid-March deadline for undocumented Afghans to leave the country, later extending it to the end of school year. But in June, after Israeli strikes and increasing security concerns, forced deportations intensified. Iran went through a very difficult year with conflict and sanctions. We understand that passions have been inflamed, but we hope and we anticipate that when Iran takes action against security threats, it does so within the rule of law. Undocumented Afghans in camps like these have no choice but to leave. Others go mainly for economic reasons. We came here a few months ago to work, but it wasn't good. Things got worse in winter. Plus, Iran's currency has lost its value, so we decided to return to Afghanistan. Children of undocumented families are not allowed to enroll in schools. Seven-year-old Hamanna is one of them. She knows exactly what she wants to be when she grows up. Her mother explains. We've been here for three years. We worked as laborers here, but back in Afghanistan, we'll have to see what comes next. There's no work and we don't have a house. Iran says deportation does not apply to children or to women without guardians. And not all Afghans are deported. Some choose to go back. I come and go whenever I feel like it. I enter illegally and am now leaving legally. In the past two years, I've come four times, each time entering illegally and being deported voluntarily. Local authorities, Red Crescent teams, and non-governmental organizations are active in the camps. Child-friendly services, areas that our social worker and the consular giving the mental health and psychosocial services to them, you know. They are losing their friends, they're losing their neighbors, and they don't know is there any dreams in Afghanistan or not. Support is offered here, but a deeper struggle persists, one between border protection and human reality. For the Iranian government, the deportation drive is about tightening security and long-standing immigration policies. But for many Afghan families, it's simply about survival. Tawheed Asadi, Al Jazeera, Milak Crossing, Iran-Afghanistan border.

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Breakdown