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Iran Expels Over Half a Million Afghan Migrants After Israel Clash

United Nations officials call for urgent aid to overwhelmed Afghan reception centers

Afghans wait for shuttles and assistance at the overcrowded border reception area in Islam Qala, Afghanistan, near the Afghanistan-Iran border, on July 3.
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Overview

  • The International Organization for Migration recorded 508,426 departures from Iran between June 24 and July 9, with daily crossings peaking above 30,000.
  • Deportation rates surged after a 12-day conflict with Israel, fueled by unverified espionage claims broadcast by Iranian state media.
  • Returnees endure extreme summer heat and overcrowding at border points such as Islam Qala and Herat.
  • Afghans report being detained, beaten and extorted by Iranian authorities before being forced across the border.
  • Tehran defends the removals as a national security necessity while UN experts label them discriminatory and unlawful.