KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Nearly one million Afghan refugees have either been deported or voluntarily returned from Iran and Pakistan over the last three months of 2024, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The IOM’s quarterly report, covering October to December, revealed that 602,384 individuals returned from Iran, while 380,671 came back from Pakistan. During the same period, 740,356 Afghans traveled to these neighboring countries, with 340,741 heading to Iran and 399,615 to Pakistan.
The report highlights that the number of Afghans returning from Iran has exceeded those entering the country, largely due to heightened pressure on Afghan refugees and Iranian authorities’ decision to deport around 2 million Afghans by the end of this solar year. Meanwhile, the number of returns from Pakistan has remained balanced throughout 2024.
IOM also noted that, in 2024, a total of 3,386,461 people returned to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan, while 2,469,299 left Afghanistan for the two countries.
The organization conducted interviews with thousands of returned refugees to understand the reasons for their movements. Economic challenges, medical treatment, and family visits were identified as the main factors driving Afghans to travel to Iran and Pakistan.
Iran and Pakistan have long been home to millions of Afghan refugees fleeing conflict, instability, and unemployment. Following the U.S. and NATO withdrawal in August 2021, which led to the Taliban’s return to power, an additional wave of refugees sought refuge in these countries, fearing retaliation from the Taliban.
Currently, the two countries host approximately 7.7 million Afghan refugees, with 4.5 million in Iran and 3.2 million in Pakistan, according to UN figures. However, the recent crackdowns on undocumented refugees and stricter anti-migrant policies have led to the deportation of millions, including many women and children.
Upon return, refugees face severe economic hardship, a humanitarian crisis, and limited healthcare facilities under Taliban rule. The UN estimates that nearly 23 million Afghans—mainly women and children— will need humanitarian aid in 2025.
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has recently raised concerns about Afghanistan’s ability to accommodate the returning refugees. NRC Secretary-General Jan Egeland, during his recent visit to Afghanistan, said, “The many vulnerable Afghans already returning from Iran… live in an enduring limbo. They left Afghanistan in search of a better and safer life and are now returning to an uncertain future, facing the same unemployment, hunger, and human rights violations that made them leave in the first place.”