Iran Has Increased Afghan Migrant Deportations, Says Taliban

According to a report published by The Nation on Wednesday, 25 June, Kamal made the announcement during a high-level meeting convened to review ongoing challenges related to the polio virus. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s “strong political and operational commitment” to eliminating polio, calling the effort not just a public health initiative but “a national mission.”

Kamal added that vaccination campaigns remain among the government’s top health priorities and noted that targeted efforts are under way, particularly in southern areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which remain vulnerable to outbreaks.

He praised Afghanistan’s recent progress in tackling polio, stating that it may reach eradication ahead of Pakistan.

According to official figures, at least 11 new polio cases have been recorded in Pakistan and two in Afghanistan since the beginning of 2025. Last year, Pakistan reported 74 cases, while Afghanistan recorded 25.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries in the world where wild poliovirus remains endemic.

According to a statement cited by Sputnik Tajikistan, the confrontation occurred after the suspects ignored orders to surrender and opened fire on Tajik security forces. One individual was killed, while the other three reportedly fled back across the border into Afghan territory.

Authorities said the incident took place during a counter-narcotics operation targeting cross-border trafficking networks. Approximately 72 kilograms of narcotics were confiscated, along with an AK-47 rifle and a quantity of ammunition.

The committee noted that investigations are ongoing and warned that organised criminal groups remain active in the border areas between Tajikistan and Afghanistan, using remote terrain to smuggle drugs and weapons.

Tajikistan has long been a key transit route in the regional drug trade, and its security forces frequently report violent encounters with traffickers along the Afghan border.

Arafat Jamal, head of the UNHCR office in Kabul, said on Tuesday that the agency has deployed monitoring teams to Afghanistan’s border crossings and is closely observing the situation.

Speaking just hours before a ceasefire was announced, Jamal noted that while large-scale migration has not yet occurred, the UNHCR is prepared to respond if the flow of Iranians into Afghanistan increases. “If the trend continues, we are ready to support those arriving, in line with our humanitarian mandate,” he said.

Jamal reported that so far, only a few confirmed cases have been recorded, including a small number of Iranian nationals and approximately 30 families with dual Iranian-Afghan citizenship.

He stressed that the current movement does not yet represent a significant migration wave but that the agency remains alert to any developments.

The recent conflict between Iran and Israel, which involved reciprocal missile strikes and air raids, has prompted some residents, particularly from major urban areas in Iran, to flee the country in search of safety.

The network, owned by former Afghan jihadi leader Mohammad Mohaqiq, was sealed in late April by the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture, citing “repeated complaints” from staff over unpaid wages.

Rah-e-Farda, which includes both radio and television services, is known for its coverage of events linked to the People’s Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan and Mohaqiq himself. The network has also been noted for its critical reporting on the Taliban.

Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, the network has faced several shutdowns. Following the collapse of the previous government, reports suggested the station was suspended over unpaid frequency fees and other debts. It later resumed operations after meeting Taliban-imposed conditions.

The media environment in Afghanistan has sharply deteriorated under Taliban rule, with widespread censorship, harassment of journalists, and restrictions on independent outlets. Rah-e-Farda’s return to air marks a rare instance of a banned broadcaster being allowed to resume operations.

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.