The UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) has expressed alarm over a sharp rise in the number of Afghan families being deported from Iran and called for the immediate suspension of the forced return of Afghans, regardless of their immigration status.
In a report released on June 3, the IOM said that while Afghans deported in previous months were "predominantly" single young men, "a new and concerning trend" had emerged with a surge in the forced return of Afghan families.
The IOM said it recorded 15,675 families returning from Iran in May, more than double the 6,879 families who returned in April. In addition, it said the number of undocumented families returning in May 2025 was more than three times higher compared to that in May 2024.
"This spike follows recent announcements by Iranian authorities indicating plans to intensify deportations of Afghan nationals," the report said.
Iran has set a July 6 deadline for undocumented Afghans to leave the country, potentially affecting up to 4 million people, according to the agency.
Many Afghans complain about being poorly treated by Iranian authorities.
An Afghan man who was deported from Iran with his family in May, told RFE/RL's Radio Azadi that the authorities arrived at the farm where his family and other Afghans were working and "deported everyone from the fields all at once."
He said he and his family were now in Faryab Province in northern Afghanistan, where "the problems are many."
Another Afghan national who did not want to be identified told Radio Azadi that Afghan refugees in Iran "suffer a lot."
"[The authorities] mistreat families and throw them out of their homes. There are a lot of arrests and detentions. People are suffering a lot," he said.
The spike in forced returns from Iran comes amid ongoing mass deportations from Pakistan, where thousands of Afghans also are being sent back each week.
"Combined, these pressures are overwhelming Afghanistan's fragile reception and reintegration systems, particularly in areas of high return," the UN agency said.
The IOM urged "all countries to immediately suspend the forced return of Afghans, regardless of their immigration status, until safe, voluntary, and dignified return conditions are in place."
Since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, the militants have enforced a hard-line interpretation of Islamic law, severely curtailing rights and freedoms -- especially for women and girls, who are now banned from secondary education and most forms of employment.
The UN and human rights groups have documented widespread abuses, including extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, torture, and public floggings, often targeting former government officials, security forces, and those who speak out against the regime.
