Former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad  has sharply criticized Iran’s ongoing mass deportation of Afghan migrants, describing the expulsions as “brutal” and warning of the severe humanitarian consequences facing Afghanistan.

In a statement issued Tuesday, Khalilzad said he had received alarming firsthand reports from humanitarian workers operating near the Islam Qala border crossing in Herat province, where thousands of Afghans are being forcibly repatriated by Iranian authorities.

Migrants are being pulled off the streets without notice, loaded onto buses, and abandoned at the Afghan border, Khalilzad said.

“When migrants attempt to leave peacefully and with their families, they are told their relatives will be deported separately and that they must find them on their own,” Khalilzad said.

He urged the Islamic Republic of Iran to scale back the pace of deportations and coordinate repatriation efforts with Afghan civil organizations and international aid agencies, including the UN and NGOs, to ensure that returns are conducted in a humane and orderly manner.

The Iranian deportations come amid mounting economic and security pressures inside Iran, where Afghan refugees – many undocumented – have long made up one of the region’s largest displaced populations.

Human rights organizations report that hundreds of thousands of Afghans have been expelled from Iran this year, straining the already fragile humanitarian infrastructure in western Afghanistan.

Khalilzad meanwhile warned Tuesday that many of these deportees have no homes or family networks to return to, having fled years earlier due to war and drought.

Analysts have meanwhile stated that Afghanistan is in no position to absorb returnees at this scale and speed, especially as the country is already contending with a humanitarian crisis.

Iran has hosted millions of Afghan refugees for decades, many of whom fled conflict during the Soviet occupation in the 1980s and, more recently, during the two-decade U.S. war in Afghanistan. While some refugees have legal status, the majority remain undocumented and vulnerable to arrest, detention, and deportation.

In recent years, Iran’s economic crisis – worsened by U.S. sanctions, inflation, and internal political unrest – has fueled anti-migrant sentiment.

Khalilzad’s statement adds to a growing number of international calls urging Iran to reconsider its expulsion policy. Aid groups working on the ground say they are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of returnees, many of whom arrive without documentation, money, or access to shelter or medical care.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and International Organization for Migration (IOM) have repeatedly called for greater coordination and for host countries to avoid forced returns unless conditions inside Afghanistan allow for safe reintegration.

With Afghanistan still reeling from economic collapse, international isolation, and the long-term effects of war, observers say the country cannot manage mass returns without coordinated international assistance.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday criticized retired General Mark Milley, the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, over the decision to leave behind U.S. military equipment during the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan – calling it a “historic embarrassment” and describing Milley as “an idiot” for supporting the move.

Speaking during a Cabinet meeting, Trump recounted a disagreement with Milley, who had argued it was more cost-effective to abandon military assets rather than retrieve or destroy them during the withdrawal. Trump, who has repeatedly condemned the exit strategy from Afghanistan, said the decision reflected poor leadership and damaged American credibility.

“That’s when I knew he was an idiot,” Trump said. “They left all that equipment. But they left their dignity behind. It was the most embarrassing moment, in my opinion, in the history of our country. Not that we got out – we shouldn’t have been there – but the way we got out, with great embarrassment and death.”

According to a 2022 report by the Department of Defense, the Islamic Emirate seized a significant portion of the more than $7 billion in military equipment left behind.

While U.S. forces removed or disabled some high-value items, a variety of vehicles, aircraft, and weapon systems remained in Afghanistan. The Pentagon noted that much of the equipment would likely become inoperable without regular maintenance from U.S. contractors.

The withdrawal, finalized under President Joe Biden, followed through on a 2020 agreement negotiated during Trump’s administration with the Islamic Emirate to end the decades-long conflict.

However, the rapid collapse of Afghan government forces at the time, and the Islamic Emirate’s swift return to power, triggered widespread criticism – particularly after a suicide bombing at Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport killed 13 U.S. service members and over 150 Afghans during evacuation operations.

Earlier this year, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered a comprehensive review of the withdrawal, citing the need for accountability and lessons learned.

Milley, who retired in 2023, has not responded publicly to Trump’s latest comments. However, during testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee in 2024, Milley defended the decisions made during the withdrawal.

He stated that he and then-U.S. Central Command leader Gen. Kenneth McKenzie had both advised the Biden administration to maintain a small U.S. military presence in Afghanistan.

“The outcome in Afghanistan was the result of many decisions from many years of war,” Milley told lawmakers. “Like any complex phenomenon, there was no single causal factor that determined the outcome.”

Trump and Milley have had a strained relationship in recent years. Though Milley was appointed by Trump in 2019, tensions escalated following Milley’s public apology for appearing alongside Trump during a controversial photo-op outside the White House amid the 2020 George Floyd protests. Milley later said his presence “created a perception of the military involved in domestic politics.”

In the final weeks of Biden’s first term, the White House issued a preemptive pardon for Milley, a move aimed at shielding the retired general from potential legal action should Trump return to office. Milley’s security clearance was subsequently revoked by Secretary Hegseth in January.

As the number of Afghan returnees from Iran continues to surge, the Bayat Foundation has launched an emergency aid campaign at the Islam Qala border crossing in Herat province, providing critical support to thousands of displaced individuals.

Dr. Ehsanullah Bayat, Chairman of the Foundation, said on Tuesday that the aid includes food packages, tents, clean drinking water, and organized transportation from the border to Herat city. He described the conditions many returnees are facing as “heartbreaking and unacceptable,” and pledged to continue and expand relief efforts.

“They should not have to endure so much hardship and suffering. For this reason, I personally, on behalf of my family, on behalf of the Bayat Foundation, and in cooperation with Afghan Wireless, made efforts to ease the return of our compatriots,” he said.

“We have arranged a series of services—including transportation, food supplies, water, and other essentials that our people (migrants) need for nourishment—and we plan to expand this assistance,” he added.

The aid distribution marks the first phase of a broader support plan, with hundreds of people reportedly being relocated from the border to Herat each day through the Bayat Foundation’s logistical support. The initiative is being implemented in coordination with Afghan Wireless, reflecting a private-sector response to a growing humanitarian crisis.

Returnees, many of whom have been forcibly deported from Iran or fled worsening conditions, have welcomed the assistance. Several expressed deep gratitude and urged continued support as they attempt to reintegrate into communities with limited resources.

Bayat emphasized that the foundation’s objective is to ease the return process for vulnerable Afghans and ensure they are met with dignity and essential services. Further phases of aid are expected to increase the scale and scope of support in the coming weeks.

About the Bayat Foundation

Established in 2005, the Bayat Foundation is one of Afghanistan’s largest private charitable organizations. It was founded by Dr. Ehsanullah Bayat, a prominent businessman and philanthropist, with a mission to support the health, education, and well-being of the Afghan people.

Over the past two decades, the Foundation has implemented a wide range of humanitarian programs, including the construction of hospitals, schools, maternity wards, mosques and water supply systems in underserved areas across Afghanistan.

It has also responded to natural disasters and displacement crises with emergency relief operations. These operations have included the provision of emergency aid to earthquake victims, and the Foundation’s annual Ramadan aid campaign.

The Foundation works closely with Afghan Wireless Communication Company (AWCC)—also founded by Bayat—to deliver aid and expand infrastructure, especially in remote areas.

Through its community-driven approach, the Bayat Foundation continues to play a vital role in improving lives and providing relief during times of crisis, as shown in its recent mobilization at the Islam Qala border.