Fact check: Is Iran ‘summarily expelling’ Afghan refugees, as claimed by ex-US envoy?

By Press TV Staff Writer

In a post on X on Tuesday, former US special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad claimed that thousands of Afghan refugees are being “summarily expelled” by the Iranian government.

Afghans, he claimed, are “being picked up in street raids, put on buses, and dumped at the border.”

“When they express that they accept the expulsion but want to leave peacefully with their wives and children, they are told that their families will be expelled separately and they can try to find them. This is barbaric,” wrote Khalilzad, who presided over the largest US diplomatic debacle in recent history.

“And how could any country, let alone one struggling with post-conflict poverty, absorb so many refugees in such a short time,” he added, pointing to the dire humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.

Khalilzad said many of those returning to Afghanistan “no longer have any home villages or relatives to go back to,” adding that UN agencies are at the border providing food and tents.

“One step that can help greatly is if Iran would slow the pace of the repatriation and coordinate with Afghan and international assistance players. They can send the refugees back if they wish—but in a civilized way, that does not cause upheaval,” he remarked.

Who is being expelled and why?

In recent weeks, the Iranian government has begun the repatriation of thousands of illegal and undocumented Afghan refugees, especially after the Israeli-American aggression against the country and the arrest of many illegal refugees—most of them Afghan nationals—involved in spying for Israel.

Many of these illegal refugees were found to be involved in the production of drones and bombs for sabotage activities inside the country on behalf of the Israeli spy agency Mossad.

The issue of repatriating undocumented Afghan refugees, however, is not new. Iran has been in talks with the Taliban administration in Kabul for the past two years on expediting the process.

In a televised interview on Monday, Nader Yarahmadi, the Director General of Immigration Affairs at the Interior Ministry, said a total of 717,658 Afghan nationals exited Iran through the Dogharoun, Milak, and South Khorasan border crossings since the beginning of the Iranian calendar year, starting March 21.

He added that over 80 percent of those currently leaving are doing so voluntarily, contrary to the claims made by Khalilzad and many other Western officials on the process of repatriation.

“Those residing illegally in Iran, especially those holding census slips, had until July 5 (Tir 15) to leave the country. This deadline was set with consideration for school exams and report card distribution, so that children would not suffer undue disruption or distress during departure,” he elaborated.

Hazratullah Zaeem Agha, the deputy commissioner of Herat and Islam Qala region of Afghanistan, during his visit to the Dogharoun border on Monday, confirmed that the repatriation has been done with dignity and respect.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has spared no effort in facilitating the respectful and smooth return of undocumented Afghan nationals by utilizing all necessary resources,” he said.

Are the refugees being expelled by force?

Yarahmadi noted that some undocumented migrants missed the deadline due to holidays or the holy month of Muharram, adding that the ministry instructed its 191 provincial offices to show flexibility toward those who present valid reasons and help them leave at the earliest opportunity.

“We have told Taliban officials that we are ready to form joint committees to resolve any disputes, and we will maintain this bilateral cooperation to uphold the human dignity of migrants,” he said.

“Unfortunately, some hostile media outlets—silent on the mass killing of Palestinian children—are now shedding crocodile tears over migrants.”

On coordination with the Taliban administration in Kabul, the official said Iran criticized them for not issuing IDs to migrants who entered Iran after 2021, adding that they have now started doing so and have even rented offices inside Iran for passport issuance and renewal.

“The Afghan government has also agreed to send representatives to repatriation centers to monitor the process and assist with consular or legal needs. We are transparent and accountable—we have nothing to hide,” he asserted.

Reaffirming Iran’s commitment to human dignity, Yarahmadi said if someone couldn’t leave on time due to illness, legal issues, or special circumstances, the ministry has set up medical commissions and requested the country’s police forces to exercise maximum leniency.

“There’s no plan to violate migrants’ rights. If an issue arises, we are ready to investigate. The Islamic Republic of Iran considers itself bound by ethical and legal standards at every stage,” he said.

Are legal and documented Afghans being expelled?

Yarahmadi said nothing has changed for those refugees who live in Iran with valid documents.

“For Afghans legally residing in Iran, nothing has changed. In fact, with undocumented migrants leaving, more resources are now available to those here legally,” he noted.

The Interior Ministry official further said that many migrants are employed or have children in school, and long-term residency planning includes employment as a key criterion.

“The war in Afghanistan has long been over. There’s no longer any reason for emergency conditions. We are moving toward a model where only valid passport holders can remain in the country,” he said.

On upgrading technology for better migration control, Yarahmadi said that as long as undocumented migrants are in the country, full order can’t be restored, but efforts are underway to better serve legal residents.

He hastened to add that illegal refugees, unlike those living legally, pose risks to the security and the economy of the country.

“Undocumented migrants create challenges in any country,” he remarked, adding that their presence affects security, economy, society, and even subsidy justice system for Iranian citizens.

“Those who are caught and don’t fit any legal category will be blacklisted and banned from re-entering Iran for a long time. But those who leave voluntarily can later apply for a visa.”

Will it affect Iran-Afghanistan relations?

Yarahmadi also warned against attempts by hostile foreign media to spread disinformation about Iran’s migration policies or to hurt relations between the two countries.

“These outlets—especially Persian-language ones backed by American funds—are exaggerating and radicalizing the issue. Yet history proves Iran has hosted millions of Afghans for over 40 years,” he remarked, referring to Iran hosting millions of refugees from Afghanistan and Iraq.

“We share a language, religion, sect, and fate. During the US occupation, Iran always stood by the Afghan people,” the official added.

He said Iran respects civil criticism of illegal migration but not hate speech or racism, while condemning anti-Iran media outlets such as Iran International over provocations.

“Outlets like Iran International now pretend to care for Afghan migrants—while their patrons waged two decades of war in Afghanistan and back the child-killing regime of Israel.”

“If Iran were racist, how did we support millions of Afghans with free education, healthcare, jobs, and housing for decades,” he added, urging Afghan nationals not to let online comments sour ties between the two neighboring countries.

“We are neighbors and will live side by side for years to come. Now more than ever, let’s not let enemies sow discord,” he said, addressing Afghan nationals in Iran and Afghanistan.

How many refugees does Iran host?

Iran has, for the past four decades, played host to one of the largest and most protracted refugee situations in the world, as acknowledged by human rights organizations worldwide.

Iran’s assistance to the war-weary Afghan refugees has been largely without any international aid, at a time when rich Western countries have erected walls to prevent the entry of Afghan refugees.

From prioritizing the vaccination of Afghan refugees to providing them equal educational opportunities, Iran’s approach to the Afghan refugee crisis has been marked by compassion and humanity.

Top UN officials have acknowledged the role played by Iran in alleviating the suffering of ill-fated Afghan refugees while urging the world to share the burden.

According to reports, more than 96 percent of Afghan refugees live in Iranian cities, towns, and villages alongside their Iranian host communities, while 4 percent are housed in more than a dozen settlements managed by the Interior Ministry in collaboration with the UN refugee agency.

While Iran, which shares a 572-mile porous border with the neighboring country, has—consistent with its refugee policy—provided necessary assistance to refugees coming from Afghanistan, it has continued to remind the international community of its responsibility toward the people displaced by the 20-year failed military adventure of the US and its NATO allies.

Yarahmadi said, as per global standards, a country should not have more than 3 percent of its population as migrants, and with Iran’s projected population of 90 million by 2026, that translates to about 3 million people.

“Right now, over 6.1 million migrants are in the country. We aim to gradually reduce this to the standard,” he said.

“So far, over 717,000 Afghans have exited. We are committed to resolving the status of 2,033,000 migrants with census slips during the first half of the year 1404. This process will continue relentlessly.”

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