Roza Otunbayeva, head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), has warned that the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel is exacerbating Afghanistan’s already dire humanitarian and economic situation.
Speaking at a United Nations Security Council briefing on Monday, Otunbayeva said the regional conflict has disrupted trade routes, driven up the cost of essential goods and fuel, and triggered a sharp increase in the number of Afghan migrants returning from Iran.
“Returns from Iran alone in the past few days have exceeded 10,000 per day,” she said, noting that over 600,000 Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan in recent months.
She stressed that while local communities and Taliban authorities have made considerable efforts to accommodate returnees, international assistance is urgently needed to ensure a safe and orderly return process.
Otunbayeva also voiced concern about the broader impact of the Iran-Israel conflict on Afghanistan’s stability, warning that the crisis threatens to undermine fragile recovery efforts in a country already burdened by economic hardship and political uncertainty.
