Over 717,000 Afghan Migrants Deported From Iran Since March, Says Official

Speaking during a UN General Assembly session on Afghanistan, Naseer Ahmad Faiq said the country has reached a critical crossroads under Taliban rule, experiencing severe setbacks across all sectors of society.

Faiq urged an end to gender discrimination and called for international efforts to establish accountability measures targeting the Taliban regime. He emphasised that Afghanistan needs a responsible, inclusive government that reflects the aspirations of all its people, including women and girls.

“The Taliban do not represent the people of Afghanistan in any way,” he said, adding that the group continues to reject the legitimate demands of Afghan citizens.

Faiq appealed to the UN Secretary-General to appoint a special representative for Afghanistan to help facilitate dialogue among all political and civil stakeholders in the country.

He also highlighted what he described as the institutionalisation of discrimination under Taliban rule, citing morality laws, the ban on girls’ education, the closure of universities, and the prohibition of women working in NGOs as evidence of systematic repression.

In addition, Faiq addressed the forced deportation of Afghan migrants from neighbouring countries, calling on Iran and Pakistan to take the issue seriously and respect migrants’ rights.

He warned that extremist groups such as ISIS and al-Qaeda continue to pose direct threats to regional and global security. The rise of jihadist schools, he said, is fuelling radicalisation and must be addressed to prevent Afghanistan from once again becoming a safe haven for terrorism.

The report, released this week, states that the National Resistance Front claimed responsibility for 56 of the attacks, while the Afghanistan Freedom Front claimed 16. The Afghanistan Freedom Movement also reported three attacks, all of which occurred in April.

UNAMA documented 11 additional attacks during the same period, although no group has claimed responsibility for them.

Three of the attacks have been independently verified by the UN, targeting the Ministry of Interior in Kabul, the district centre of Nijrab in Kapisa province, and Bagram Airfield in Parwan province. The number of casualties from these incidents remains unconfirmed.

UNAMA also noted that the Afghanistan Freedom Front was the only opposition group to declare a ceasefire during the holy month of Ramadan.

The National Resistance Front, Afghanistan Freedom Front, and Afghanistan Freedom Movement are among the key groups that have sporadically launched attacks on Taliban targets since the fall of Kabul in August 2021.

These groups accuse the Taliban of widespread human rights violations, suppressing civil liberties, and governing without inclusive participation.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, Khalilzad addressed President Donald Trump directly, stating that several Asian countries, including Afghanistan, are eager to explore mining partnerships with the United States.

He called for the development of comprehensive investment programmes to facilitate US engagement in mining sectors across the region, highlighting the strategic importance of timely decision-making.

“Afghanistan and others are ready to sign mining deals. The time to act is now,” Khalilzad wrote.

Afghanistan holds vast untapped reserves of copper, gold, oil, lithium and precious stones, with an estimated total value exceeding US$1 trillion. In recent years, the Taliban has prioritised resource extraction to stabilise its economy and circumvent international sanctions.

China, meanwhile, has significantly expanded its role in Afghanistan’s mining sector. Chinese firms have pledged more than US$7 billion in investments, particularly targeting lithium deposits. One of the largest projects, the Aynak copper mine, recently resumed operations after years of inactivity, bolstered by renewed Chinese funding.

Additionally, Beijing has secured major oil extraction agreements in the Amu Darya Basin, where production officially began in 2024.

Muttaqi stated that the majority of the roughly 340,000 Afghan nationals who have returned from Iran so far were forcibly deported by Iranian authorities.

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reported on Monday that nearly 450,000 Afghans have returned from Iran since early June, as Iranian authorities implemented a deadline of 6 July for undocumented Afghan migrants to leave the country.

While many returnees have reported a lack of basic services and poor conditions, particularly in border areas such as Islam Qala, the Taliban official claimed that support systems are in place across all provinces to receive and assist returnees.

However, international aid agencies have warned that Afghanistan does not have the infrastructure or resources to manage such a large influx of people. Humanitarian groups have expressed concern that the mass deportations could further destabilise a country already facing severe economic hardship and widespread food insecurity.

In a statement released on Sunday, 6 July, the association warned that hostility toward Afghan nationals has reached “alarming” and “horrific” levels, particularly in the aftermath of the recent ceasefire between Iran and Israel.

The organisation expressed deep concern over escalating violence against Afghan migrants, stating that discriminatory practices have worsened significantly since 2023. It accused the Iranian government of systematically limiting Afghan migrants’ access to education, healthcare, and banking services, effectively pressuring them to leave the country.

The association also highlighted the risks facing deported Afghans, including potential persecution and rights violations under Taliban rule.

Reaffirming its commitment to the universal right to safety, shelter, and dignity, the group denounced the Iranian government’s handling of the situation and urged authorities to reverse current policies.

The statement follows a joint letter signed by more than 1,300 Iranian and Afghan activists, journalists, filmmakers, and civil society figures, demanding an immediate end to what they called anti-Afghan policies and mass expulsions.

The appeal comes amid a surge in deportations, with tens of thousands of Afghan nationals reportedly returned to Afghanistan in recent days.