UNHCR: Afghan returnees from Iran better off than those returning from Pakistan

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says Afghan refugees returning from Iran generally have higher levels of education, better food security, and more stable housing compared to those returning from Pakistan.

In its Afghanistan Post-Return Monitoring Survey Report, released on Tuesday, UNHCR highlighted stark differences in the living conditions and challenges faced by returnees depending on their country of return.

According to the report, Afghans returning from Iran often have greater access to education, improved food security, and better housing conditions. In contrast, returnees from Pakistan face severe economic hardship, are more dependent on daily wage labor, and carry heavier debt burdens.

UNHCR noted that returnees from Iran were slightly less likely to hold debt than those returning from Pakistan, while the gap between female-headed households (90 percent) and male-headed households (87 percent) remained relatively small.

The report further found that Afghan returnees from Pakistan—particularly recent arrivals—are more likely to rent accommodation and struggle to meet rental costs. By comparison, many returnees from Iran own homes or have inherited property. Access to safe drinking water and sanitation services was also found to be more limited among those returning from Pakistan.

On Monday alone, 2,827 Afghan migrants were repatriated from Iran and Pakistan, underscoring the continued scale of return movements.

Over the past four decades, Iran has remained one of the world’s largest host countries for refugees and migrants, despite facing significant economic and social pressures. The majority of these refugees are Afghans who fled conflict, insecurity, poverty, and prolonged crises in their homeland.

UNHCR data shows that Iran currently hosts around 773,000 registered Afghan refugees holding Amayesh cards, along with more than 2.7 million Afghans living in refugee-like conditions. With over 3.5 million refugees, Iran ranks as the world’s second-largest refugee-hosting country.

However, field reports and unofficial estimates suggest that as many as seven million Afghans may be residing in Iran, including around four million without legal documentation.

UNHCR has warned that Iran faces mounting challenges as the international community has provided less than one-third of the funding required to meet the humanitarian needs of refugees.

In a press release issued on October 27, UNHCR reported that more than 1.7 million Afghan refugees returned from Iran to Afghanistan during the first nine months of 2025, highlighting the growing pressure on both returnees and host communities.