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Almost half a million Afghans return home from Iran in past 100 days
Afghan authorities in Herat and Nimroz have reported growing pressure on local services and have appealed for greater international support to assist returnees.
Nearly 490,000 undocumented Afghan nationals have voluntarily left Iran through the Dogharoun/Islam Qala border crossing in the past 100 days, according to Amirollah Shamghadari, deputy governor of Khorasan Razavi Province, which borders western Afghanistan.
In a statement this weekend, Shamghadari emphasized that the process has been conducted “with full respect and human dignity,” in line with Iran’s official policy of supporting voluntary, humane, and lawful departures.
“Sixty-seven percent of all Afghan exits have taken place via Dogharoun,” he noted, highlighting the crossing as the busiest point of return for Afghan nationals.
According to Iranian authorities, 26,000 Afghans crossed the border on Friday alone, many bypassing refugee camps entirely and proceeding directly into Afghanistan. Shamghadari said priority was being given to families who had voluntarily introduced themselves to authorities, rather than those apprehended during routine checks.
The official also underscored Iran’s rejection of xenophobia and anti-Afghan sentiment, pointing to the historic and cultural ties between the two neighboring countries. He said Afghan returnees had expressed satisfaction with services at the Safid Sang and Hasanabad camps, which are providing short-term humanitarian assistance.
Allegations of espionage dismissed
Responding to recent speculation that the exodus may be tied to espionage or infiltration concerns—including unverified claims of Afghan involvement in Israeli intelligence activities—Shamghadari dismissed such assertions as part of a “psychological operation” orchestrated by hostile actors.
“These are baseless rumors spread by the enemies of Iran. Our goal is to organize the current situation, not to politicize it,” he stated.
He added that Iran is exploring legal pathways for future re-entry by Afghan nationals under a regulated framework once identity, security, and documentation processes are streamlined.
The large-scale return of Afghan nationals, many of whom had been living in Iran without legal status for years, presents significant humanitarian and logistical challenges on both sides of the border.
Afghan authorities in Herat and Nimroz have reported growing pressure on local services and have appealed for greater international support to assist returnees.
According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), hundreds of thousands of Afghans have returned from Iran this year, with June alone seeing more than 137,000 arrivals via Islam Qala and Dogharoun.
Iran, long a host to millions of Afghan migrants and refugees, maintains that it will continue to coordinate with Afghan authorities and humanitarian agencies to ensure an orderly and respectful process.
The Embassy of Japan in Afghanistan has announced scholarship opportunities for Afghan students under the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program for the 2027 academic year.
According to the embassy, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan is offering scholarships for graduate-level study at Japanese universities under the research student category, including both regular and non-regular students.
Interested and eligible applicants can download the application guidelines and forms from the official Study in Japan website and are advised to carefully review all requirements before applying.
Applicants who meet the eligibility criteria and have prepared all required documents must submit their applications by 25 May 2026. The embassy said late or incomplete submissions will not be accepted.
The first screening process will include a written examination in Kabul on 18 June 2026, followed by interviews scheduled for July 2026 (date to be confirmed).
The Embassy of Japan noted that the Aga Khan Foundation Afghanistan will assist in collecting applications and facilitating written examinations, but will not be involved in the selection process.
It further emphasized that the selection will be conducted independently by the embassy and the Japanese government, based on academic merit, quality of application documents, and performance in written and interview examinations, without consideration of religious, linguistic, or ethnic background.
The scholarship program is fully funded and free of charge. The embassy warned applicants to remain cautious against scams, stressing that no financial contributions are required at any stage of the application process.
Abdul Salam Hanafi, Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs, has launched the distribution of more than 1,000 residential land plots for returning migrants in Logar province.
During a visit to Logar, Hanafi inaugurated a new township and said the initiative aims to support Afghan returnees by providing them with housing opportunities and improving settlement conditions.
He called for speeding up the process of distributing residential plots designated for migrants, stressing the importance of timely implementation.
“We inaugurated this township today, which includes more than 1,000 plots. These plots will be distributed to migrants. In addition, other townships will also be constructed soon,” he said.
Hanafi also noted that over the past three years, more than five million Afghan migrants have returned from neighboring countries, adding that efforts are underway to provide them with essential services and support their reintegration.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan, Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani, has urged the Afghan authorities to take concrete action against militant threats that Islamabad says originate from Afghan soil.
Speaking at an event at the Pakistan Embassy in Kabul marking the first anniversary of Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos against India, Nizamani reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to maintaining “brotherly ties” with Afghanistan.
The ambassador also highlighted Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts in reducing tensions between Iran and the United States, saying Islamabad’s initiatives reflected its commitment to regional and global peace.
During the ceremony, Nizamani reaffirmed Pakistan’s determination to defend itself against any aggression.
“Pakistan’s desire for peace must never be mistaken for weakness,” the ambassador said, calling for heightened vigilance against regional threats.
Pakistani officials have consistently claimed that militants use Afghan soil to attack Pakistan. The Islamic Emirate, however, has denied this claim and said that Afghanistan is not responsible for Pakistan’s security failures.
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