Over a week after the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Iran, Alireza Bigdeli, Iran’s acting ambassador in Kabul, on Monday called on the people of Afghanistan and Islamic countries to support Tehran.

Speaking at a press conference, Bigdeli emphasized that Tehran’s response to the recent attacks is a legitimate act of self-defense, and Iran will not relent in this path. He also stated that the key to Iran’s victory in this war lies in the unity of the Muslim communities.

The Iranian diplomat said, “We ask the people of Afghanistan to stand by us at this critical moment, pray for us, support us, and use all their capacities to demonstrate the unity of the Islamic Ummah.”

Regarding the issue of Afghan migrants in Iran, Bigdeli said that Tehran has not exerted any pressure for the forced return of these migrants, and some media outlets are exaggerating the matter in an attempt to create tensions between Kabul and Tehran.

He added, “The issue of Afghan migrants in Iran today is being exploited by our enemies’ cyber efforts to create division among our people. The presence of Afghan nationals in Iran over the past 48 years has been a source of pride for the Iranian nation. Over these years, millions—perhaps more than twenty million—Afghans have come to Iran, lived there, and then returned.”

Bigdeli also noted that since the onset of Israeli attacks on Iran, officials and many Afghan citizens have expressed their support for Iran through phone calls, messages, and letters.

The diplomat also warned that if the United Nations does not respond appropriately to the attacks by the US and Israel, the credibility of the organization as an international institution will be at risk in the future.

The United Nations has confirmed that a small number of Iranians, including dual Iranian-Afghan nationals, have crossed into Afghanistan following the outbreak of conflict between Iran and Israel.

According to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), around 30 families with dual citizenship have entered Afghanistan, and a limited number of Iranian asylum seekers were registered on Sunday, June 22.

UNHCR Representative in Afghanistan, Arafat Jamal, stated that the agency is closely monitoring developments at border crossings and is fully prepared to support any Iranians fleeing the violence.

He also highlighted the broader regional displacement crisis, noting that since 2023, an estimated 3.5 million Afghan migrants have returned from Iran and Pakistan—many under duress.

Jamal emphasized the need for all returns to be conducted with dignity and called on the international community to invest in Afghanistan’s long-term peace and development.

“We are at the borders – in Milak and Islam Qala. We are monitoring the situation and indeed we are ready to receive Iranians if they choose to come. At the moment, we have not observed large numbers,” Jamal said.

“We have seen about 30 families that have dual nationality – Iranian and Afghan nationality. And I believe that yesterday we may have received just some small numbers of pure Iranian cases, but it is not big numbers at the moment,” he added.

UNHCR is working alongside Afghan government institutions and humanitarian partners to strengthen returnee reintegration programs. Jamal further urged neighboring countries to continue hosting Afghan refugees in a humane and respectful manner, while reaffirming UNHCR’s commitment to supporting those displaced by the ongoing conflict.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reportedly severed all electronic communications and retreated to an underground bunker amid fears of an assassination, according to a report by The New York Times.

The report, citing intelligence sources and Iranian insiders, claims that Khamenei, 86, is now directing the country through a trusted intermediary while avoiding any traceable digital contact.

The move comes as Israeli airstrikes on Iran continue into their second week, heightening concerns within Tehran’s leadership about regime destabilization.

“Ali Khamenei… has cut all electronic channels out of concern for his safety,” the report states, adding that the Supreme Leader is preparing for “worst-case scenarios,” including a potential coup.

It also notes that communications with senior military officials are now being conducted exclusively via one close aide.

In a striking revelation, the Times reports that Khamenei has made contingency plans to flee to Russia if the regime’s stability collapses. The Iranian leader has also reportedly formalized decisions regarding both military command succession and his own potential successor, identifying three senior clerics as candidates should he die during the crisis.

There has been no official response from Iranian authorities regarding the report, which comes at a time of extreme internal and external pressure on the Islamic Republic following U.S. and Israeli strikes on key nuclear sites.

The situation remains fluid, and analysts suggest these developments point to the most severe leadership security measures seen in Iran since the 1980s.