The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has issued an urgent warning over the intensifying humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, stating that the return of more than 1.4 million Afghans from Iran and Pakistan is pushing local support systems beyond breaking point.

Citing UNHCR, the NRC said daily returns from Iran surged dramatically following June 13, peaking on July 1 when over 43,000 returnees were registered in a single day. The spike in returns is overwhelming already fragile infrastructure and underfunded aid operations in border provinces such as Herat and Nangarhar.

“We are seeing families arrive exhausted and distressed to a country that has very limited capacity to support and reintegrate them. We are doing everything we can, but the scale of needs is exceeding the current resources,” said Jacopo Caridi, NRC’s Country Director in Afghanistan.

“Local communities have shown remarkable solidarity. Many of our staff are hosting returnee families in their homes. The authorities are doing their best to mobilize the few resources they have, but the local systems are not equipped to cope with such tremendous needs.”

Returnees, many of whom were born and raised in Iran or Pakistan, are often arriving with no possessions, no legal documents, and limited access to basic services. Immediate needs include food, shelter, clean water, healthcare, and access to education. Aid organizations report that many families are forced to sleep in the open or overcrowded temporary shelters, while local clinics are struggling to meet demand.

The NRC warned that if the current rate of return continues, the number of returnees could exceed three million by the end of 2025, significantly escalating humanitarian pressure in a country where two-thirds of the population already depend on aid. The organization called for a halt to involuntary returns, arguing that conditions in Afghanistan do not meet minimum international standards for safety or sustainability.

Caridi emphasized that the burden cannot fall solely on Afghanistan’s overstretched authorities and aid groups, urging the international community to step up. “The international community must not turn its back on Afghan civilians,” he said. “Both returnees and host communities urgently need support to prevent further suffering and instability.”

The NRC’s call echoes similar warnings from other humanitarian agencies. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies recently projected that an additional one million Afghans could be returned by the end of the year. However, the organization’s emergency appeal for $31 million has received less than 10 percent of the required funding.

The Afghan Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation has acknowledged the scale of the crisis, but says it lacks the capacity to respond without external support. Despite limited resources, local authorities have coordinated with NGOs to establish temporary reception facilities near key border crossings, but these remain under-resourced.

The situation has been further complicated by the broader humanitarian crisis gripping Afghanistan. Since the return of the Islamic Emirate in August 2021, international aid has dropped significantly, while economic sanctions and reduced development assistance have severely impacted the country’s economy.

NRC has reiterated its call for increased international burden-sharing, including greater support for Iran and Pakistan, which have hosted Afghan refugees for decades. Without a coordinated and adequately funded response, humanitarian groups warn that the crisis will deepen, threatening not only returnees but also the stability of host communities and the country at large.

The Afghan Embassy in Kazakhstan has confirmed that Mohammad-ur-Rahman, the acting ambassador of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) in Astana, has held talks with Yerkin Tokumov, Kazakhstan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen bilateral relations and seek formal diplomatic recognition.

According to a statement issued by the embassy, the two officials discussed ways to enhance political, economic, and cultural cooperation between the two countries. The Islamic Emirate’s envoy expressed optimism that Kazakhstan may follow Russia’s recent move to recognize the current Afghan government, and reiterated Kabul’s interest in developing broader regional ties.

During the meeting, Mohammad-ur-Rahman briefed the Kazakh official on the Islamic Emirate’s foreign policy priorities, current investment opportunities, and domestic issues, including the situation of Afghan refugees, the impact of recent floods, and employment-related challenges.

He also welcomed Russia’s decision to recognize the Islamic Emirate and encouraged Kazakhstan to take similar steps.

In response, Tokumov affirmed Kazakhstan’s continued interest in expanding bilateral engagement, stating that Astana remains committed to cooperating with Afghanistan in political, economic, and cultural fields.

The Islamic Emirate has been actively seeking diplomatic legitimacy and deeper regional ties since returning to power in August 2021.

While most countries have maintained informal or limited engagement, recent developments — including Russia’s announcement of official recognition — have added momentum to the IEA-led government’s push for broader international acceptance.

Kazakhstan has maintained relatively warm relations with Kabul under the current administration, sustaining humanitarian aid deliveries, economic collaboration, and dialogue through regional platforms, although it has not formally recognized the Islamic Emirate.

European Parliament member Hannah Neumann has strongly condemned Iran’s ongoing deportation of Afghan refugees, describing the mass expulsions as a violation of international law and a humanitarian crisis unfolding at scale.

In a statement shared on social media, Neumann referred to the deportations as a “collective expulsion” carried out “by force, scale, and terror,” and called on the international community to respond urgently.

According to official estimates, more than 700,000 Afghans have been deported from Iran so far in 2025 — over 600,000 since June alone. Many have been transported to the Islam Qala border crossing in Herat Province, where witnesses describe scenes of extreme distress.

“This isn’t migration,” Neumann wrote. “It’s expulsion by force, scale, and terror. Many of these people were born in Iran. Some have never even seen Afghanistan before.”

The German MEP accused Iranian authorities of breaching international obligations by denying deportees access to due process, including asylum procedures and legal review.

Iran, a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, is prohibited under international law from conducting collective expulsions.

Neumann also directed criticism at European policymakers, particularly the European Commission, for what she called a failed strategy of “regional containment” that left vulnerable Afghans unprotected.

“People with valid visas, degrees, and even children — dragged from homes, dumped at the border, their documents torn up,” she said. “And Europe? Commission? Said back then: they’ll be safe in Iran. Said back then: Afghans should seek protection regionally. Well, going spectacularly, isn’t it?” Neumann wrote.

In response, Neumann called for immediate international measures, including the issuance of emergency humanitarian visas for Afghans at risk, the creation of safe and legal pathways out of Iran, and increased funding for humanitarian agencies such as the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Human rights organizations and aid groups have echoed the concerns, warning that the mass deportations are placing overwhelming pressure on border areas in Afghanistan and further destabilizing an already fragile humanitarian situation.