United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has called for a trilateral meeting of the Taliban and Iranian officials to address mass deportation of Afghan migrants, warning that Afghanistan is not equipped to absorb such a large influx.
Filippo Grandi, the UN refugee chief, made the appeal during his visit to Iran on Tuesday, where he met with Iranian Interior Minister Esmail Momeni to discuss the situation.
Grandi stressed that Afghanistan lacks the economic and social capacity to manage the return of tens of thousands of migrants in a short period and urged a phased and voluntary repatriation process.
Momeni said individuals suffering from serious health conditions or whose lives are in danger would not be deported. He added that the deportation process had not involved the use of force and emphasised the cultural, historical and religious ties between the two countries.
Iranian officials said they have worked to prevent the deportation policy from creating tensions between Iranian citizens and Afghan migrants.
Grandi called for a collaborative approach and proposed a three-party dialogue between Iran, the Taliban, and the UNHCR to develop a structured and humane return mechanism.
Nader Yar Ahmadi, an adviser to Iran’s interior minister and head of the Bureau for Aliens and Foreign Immigrants Affairs, said international assistance has been insufficient. He noted that aid received so far does not match the scale of Iran’s efforts to manage the Afghan refugee population.
Iran and Pakistan have deported hundreds of thousands of Afghans in recent months, citing visa expirations and security concerns. Human rights groups have warned the forced returns could trigger a worsening humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
