Iran's Escalating Deportations: Evicting Afghan Refugees Amid Turmoil**

The Iranian government's intensified deportation strategy has led to significant outflows of Afghan refugees, with many facing severe hardships upon their return to Afghanistan during a tumultuous period.**

In a distressing turn of events, Iran has enacted a major deportation campaign targeting Afghan refugees, resulting in the forced return of approximately 800,000 individuals to Afghanistan—a nation grappling with extreme poverty and instability. This wave of deportations, which has been notably aggressive since June, has left many Afghans hungry, exhausted, and vulnerable.

According to Babar Baloch, a spokesperson for the United Nations’ refugee agency, nearly 600,000 of these expulsions have taken place since June 1, coinciding with rising tensions linked to conflicts involving Iran, particularly following the 12-day war between Israel and Iran. In light of suspicions cast by Iranian officials concerning Afghans possibly acting as spies, the pace of deportations has intensified, averaging around 30,000 individuals per day at its peak.

Iran has historically been home to the largest population of refugees worldwide, harboring an estimated 3.5 million people, most of whom fled decades of conflict in Afghanistan. However, the actual number, including undocumented refugees, is believed to be much higher. Recent Iranian government actions suggest a diminishing tolerance toward Afghan migrants, with claims that refugees possessing valid documentation are still permitted entry being contradicted by ground realities.

Arafat Jamal, the U.N. refugee agency's representative in Kabul, described the current situation as a crisis, noting the unopposed nature of these deportations amidst rising anti-Afghan sentiment. Many of the returnees have found themselves forcibly expelled despite having valid entrance documents, highlighting the dramatic shifts in Iranian immigration policy.

This emergent situation underscores the urgent humanitarian crisis facing returning Afghan refugees and the lack of adequate support systems in Afghanistan, raising critical concerns about their safety and well-being in a country already beleaguered by countless challenges.