Urgent Call for Humanitarian Aid as Afghans Face Mass Deportations from Iran

The Iranian government is under scrutiny amid allegations of deporting Afghan migrants en masse without verifying their legal status, Khaama Press reports. This has led to instances of mistaken identity, family separations, and allegations of abuse during expulsions, according to Hassan Mousavi Chelik, head of Iran's Association of Social Workers.

A notable case involved an Iranian child mistakenly deported as an Afghan, only to be identified correctly after fingerprint verification at the Iranian consulate, prompting his return. Authorities have reportedly deported families over minor documentation issues, with disturbing accounts of fathers expelled while their children stayed behind in Iran.

Tehran governor Mohammad Sadeq Motamedian disclosed that over one million Afghans were deported in the last 100 days, with 400,000 from Tehran province alone. Claims of violence during deportations have emerged, including an incident where an Afghan family alleged torture led to the death of Baqer Rezaei at a Zabol detention camp.

Human rights advocates warn these actions risk family separation and human rights violations, potentially straining Iran-Afghanistan relations further. Calls for international oversight to ensure humane deportations have amplified. The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality (UN Women) highlights that Afghan women and girls returning need urgent humanitarian aid due to existing economic and environmental challenges.

In light of declining international support, UN Women reported over two million undocumented Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan since September 2023, many to unfamiliar circumstances without basic provisions like healthcare and education. The agency underscores that poverty, early marriage, gender-based violence, and restricted freedoms exacerbate their plight.

Only 10 percent of female-headed households reportedly have permanent shelter. Aid workers, particularly women at borders, face immense pressure, as funding drops limit organizations' response capacity. UN Women stresses that stronger international support for tailored aid programs is critical to helping vulnerable populations adapt and survive.

(With inputs from agencies.)