Almost half a million Afghans return home from Iran in past 100 days

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.