UN worried about Afghans leaving Iran to return home

By AFP
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June 24, 2025
A flag is seen on a building during the Human Rights Council at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland February 27, 2023. — Reuters

UNITED NATIONS, United States: Thousands of Afghans are leaving Iran because of the war with Israel and heading home, even as their own country grapples with a humanitarian crisis, the United Nations said Monday.

Because of new immigration policies in Iran regarding Afghans, more than 600,000 Afghans have returned home so far this year, the head of the UN mission in Afghanistan, Roza Otunbayeva, told the UN Security Council.

“Given the concerning developments in the region, the UN agencies are preparing for potential cross-border movement from Iran. Returns from Iran alone in the past few days have been over 10,000 per day,” she said.