A joint meeting between the Acting Minister of Refugees and senior representatives of UNAMA, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and the International Organization for Migration emphasized the need to stop the process of returning refugees from Iran. International organizations expressed concern about the increase in the number of refugees returning and the challenges arising from it.
Publish dateMonday 30 June 2025 - 12:37
Story Code : 320401
Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) – Kabul: On Sunday, June 29, Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, Acting Minister of Refugees and Repatriation Affairs, met and discussed with Andrika Ratote, Deputy Head of the UNAMA Office, Arafat Jamal, Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and Mihyung Park, Director of the International Organization for Migration in the country.
In this meeting, Andrika Ratote stated that since the beginning of this year, more than one million Afghan refugees have returned to the country from Pakistan and Iran, and this process is still ongoing. He added that although the process of forced deportation from Pakistan has decreased, Iran is forcibly returning refugees on a large scale.
The Deputy Head of UNAMA noted that the office has begun its efforts to attract international funding and has also launched plans to improve capacity at the Islam Qala crossing. According to him, UNAMA is trying to convince Iran to stop the return of refugees and facilitate voluntary return.
Referring to the assessments carried out in Islam Qala, the UNHCR Representative, Mr. Arafat Jamal, said that some non-food assistance had been sent to the area. He added that a formal request for more assistance had been submitted to the UN leadership and that the UNHCR High Commissioner would visit Kabul in the near future.
Ms. Mihyung Park, Head of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said that as the number of refugees returning from Iran increased, their financial resources were under pressure. She noted that the level of cash assistance had already increased, but added that the widespread deportations had had a negative impact on this assistance.
Expressing gratitude for the cooperation of international institutions, Mawlavi Abdul Kabir said that all Emirati institutions are at the service of helping the refugees and that the necessary facilities and technical teams have been dispatched to Islam Qala. He also called for a trilateral meeting with Iran to address the situation of the refugees and announced that the Islamic Emirate is ready for any cooperation in this regard.
According to a new report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than 650,000 Afghan refugees have been forcibly deported from Iran since the beginning of 2025. This trend has been linked to increased border restrictions, security pressures, and economic problems in Iran.
According to experts, the increase in forced deportations from Iran shows that the issue of Afghan refugees has become not only a humanitarian crisis but also a security and economic problem for the country. While voluntary return should be at the forefront of regional migration policies, Tehran’s recent actions are considered contrary to human rights principles and international obligations. The efforts of international institutions and the government's effective cooperation with them can reduce the pressure to some extent, but until a sustainable, legal, and regional solution is developed, this crisis will continue.
In this meeting, Andrika Ratote stated that since the beginning of this year, more than one million Afghan refugees have returned to the country from Pakistan and Iran, and this process is still ongoing. He added that although the process of forced deportation from Pakistan has decreased, Iran is forcibly returning refugees on a large scale.
The Deputy Head of UNAMA noted that the office has begun its efforts to attract international funding and has also launched plans to improve capacity at the Islam Qala crossing. According to him, UNAMA is trying to convince Iran to stop the return of refugees and facilitate voluntary return.
Referring to the assessments carried out in Islam Qala, the UNHCR Representative, Mr. Arafat Jamal, said that some non-food assistance had been sent to the area. He added that a formal request for more assistance had been submitted to the UN leadership and that the UNHCR High Commissioner would visit Kabul in the near future.
Ms. Mihyung Park, Head of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said that as the number of refugees returning from Iran increased, their financial resources were under pressure. She noted that the level of cash assistance had already increased, but added that the widespread deportations had had a negative impact on this assistance.
Expressing gratitude for the cooperation of international institutions, Mawlavi Abdul Kabir said that all Emirati institutions are at the service of helping the refugees and that the necessary facilities and technical teams have been dispatched to Islam Qala. He also called for a trilateral meeting with Iran to address the situation of the refugees and announced that the Islamic Emirate is ready for any cooperation in this regard.
According to a new report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than 650,000 Afghan refugees have been forcibly deported from Iran since the beginning of 2025. This trend has been linked to increased border restrictions, security pressures, and economic problems in Iran.
According to experts, the increase in forced deportations from Iran shows that the issue of Afghan refugees has become not only a humanitarian crisis but also a security and economic problem for the country. While voluntary return should be at the forefront of regional migration policies, Tehran’s recent actions are considered contrary to human rights principles and international obligations. The efforts of international institutions and the government's effective cooperation with them can reduce the pressure to some extent, but until a sustainable, legal, and regional solution is developed, this crisis will continue.
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