This one decision of Iran caused havoc in the weak economy of Afghanistan
Kabul: Iran has sent back thousands of Afghan refugees who have long been employed in sectors such as agriculture, construction and skilled trades. The sudden return of a large number of Afghans is putting a huge strain on Afghanistan’s weak economy. There is a huge shortage of employment opportunities and essential support services. Abdul Rahim, one of the Afghan migrants who worked in Iran’s agriculture sector for four years, said that if employment opportunities were available in his country, he could support his family of six with his skills.
Afghan media outlet Tolo News quoted Rahim as saying, ‘We have now returned to our country. We used to do agricultural work in Iran. If I get an opportunity in the agricultural sector here, I will be happy.’ Another Afghan migrant said, ‘If the work we did in Iran was available in our country, we would never have gone to Iran. The Iranian government and the people there treated us badly. We rented houses there, and they don’t pay us our wages.’
Taliban angry with Iran
Recently, Ahmadullah Wasiq, spokesman for the Afghan Refugee Affairs Commission, condemned the Iranian government for mistreating Afghan migrants and urged them to coordinate with the Afghan government for the deportation process. He called on international organizations to increase humanitarian aid for the returnees by coordinating with the Refugee Affairs Commission. Earlier, one of those deported from Iran, Fatima, who had been living in Iran with her family for three years, had mentioned the abuses committed by the Iranian authorities, Tolo News reported.
How many Afghans returned?
According to a report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), from the beginning of 2025 to August 1, more than 2.1 million Afghans have been deported from Iran and Pakistan and sent back to their country. According to the report, ‘From April 1 to July 30, 14 lakh Afghans from Iran and 303,300 from Pakistan have returned to Afghanistan. By 2025, more than 21 lakh Afghans had returned from Iran and Pakistan. Afghanistan’s situation is very weak. It has received only 24 percent of the $478 million required for this year.’ Many Afghan migrants deported from Iran and Pakistan have raised concerns about difficult living conditions in their country due to lack of shelter, unemployment and basic services.