Afghanistan Times
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KABUL – As Israeli airstrikes rain down on Iran, thousands of undocumented Afghan refugees are caught in a deadly crossfire, facing not only the threat of war but also a surge in discrimination, restricted movement, and mass deportations. Humanitarian organizations and Afghan families warn of a worsening crisis, as refugees stranded in Iran describe harrowing conditions and a sense of total abandonment.
Iran is home to the world’s largest Afghan diaspora, with up to 6 million Afghans living in the country—many without proper documentation. But the recent outbreak of conflict with Israel has further isolated this vulnerable population. Afghan refugees say they are being blocked from traveling, evicted without recourse, denied basic services, and, in some cases, forcibly deported.
Zahra, a young Afghan woman awaiting an Irish visa in Tehran, was stopped from boarding a bus to Mashhad by a soldier who said, “You’re Afghan, you’re not allowed in.” Stranded in the capital, she described soldiers dragging Afghans from vehicles to deport them. “We can’t access bank services, some landlords have disappeared with our deposits, and we’re treated like criminals,” she told The New Arab.
The psychological toll is immense. “The fear and emotional trauma I experienced in Kabul have all come back,” Zahra said.
The United Nations and aid agencies estimate more than 450,000 Afghans have returned from Iran in 2025 alone, including over 30,000 families. Border crossings like Islam Qala are overwhelmed, now processing up to 8,000 people daily. Afghan officials fear this may soon spiral into a full-scale refugee emergency as Iran continues deportations and government services inside Afghanistan remain stretched or shuttered.
Some, like 18-year-old Abdul Wali—an Afghan laborer killed when an Israeli missile struck near his Tehran workplace—have already become casualties of the war. Others are afraid to even seek medical help, fearing arrest due to their undocumented status.
Despite assurances from Taliban officials that they are engaging with Iranian counterparts, the refugees’ situation remains dire. “Many Afghans were killed during the Israeli attacks, yet no one seems to pay attention to them,” said Zahra Mandagar, an Afghan activist. “They have no way forward and no way back. Their life and death hang by a minute.”
The Ministry of Refugees in Kabul has urged Afghans in Iran to avoid military zones and political gatherings, while the Taliban say they are preparing for possible mass returns. However, with international aid declining and public services collapsing, the prospect of returning to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan offers little relief for many refugees, especially former soldiers and women at risk of persecution.
As the war in Iran escalates, Afghan refugees remain invisible victims of a conflict not their own, trapped in limbo between shattered homelands and an increasingly unwelcoming host.
