“Where Do We Even Go?” — The Human Cost of Iran’s Mass Deportation of Afghans
By The Daily South African Pulse
The brutal crackdowns in Iran have triggered a staggering humanitarian crisis as over 1.4 million Afghans — many of whom have lived in Iran for decades — have been forced to return to a homeland ravaged by war, poverty, and repression. What awaits them is not just uncertainty, but a country that, for many, feels foreign.
At Islam Qala, a scorched border crossing in western Afghanistan, scenes of heartbreak, confusion, and desperation unfold daily. More than 20,000 Afghans cross here every day, many with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
“I worked in Iran for 42 years, so hard that my knees are broken,” said Mohammad Akhundzada, a construction worker now trying to find shelter for his wife and four Iranian-born children. “And for what? We have nowhere to go.”
A Nation Already on the Brink
Afghanistan, already reeling from economic collapse, a drought of humanitarian aid, and Taliban rule, is hardly equipped to absorb the sudden influx of returnees. Over half the population of 41 million rely on aid, and services like healthcare are overwhelmed or have collapsed altogether.
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Aid groups can only fund one-fifth of current needs. Clinics are shutting down. Food and clean water are scarce. And now, with tens of thousands more mouths to feed, tents to build, and lives to support, the system is buckling.
At Islam Qala, a chaotic processing center run by Afghan authorities and the UN, officials hand out small bags of food and cash. Children cry under the 95-degree heat. Dehydration, fear, and trauma hang in the air.
Political Scapegoats in Iran
Iran’s hard-line crackdown follows claims by Tehran that Afghans were recruited by Israel and the U.S. for terrorist activity during a recent conflict — accusations for which no public evidence has been presented. But they have fueled a surge in xenophobia and hate crimes across Iran.
Afghans interviewed described scenes of horror: assaults by strangers, children beaten, women attacked in metro stations, denied medical care, robbed by security forces.
Ebrahim Qaderi, attacked while biking to work, was refused care at four hospitals before fleeing with his family. “Dirty Afghan,” his attackers shouted before slashing his hand.
Even legal Afghan residents — some born in Iran — are being detained and deported. “I was shaking with fear,” said Ali, 36, whose government ID card was torn up by guards. “They told me: ‘You’re going to a deportation camp.’”
What Future Awaits the Returnees?
Many returnees, like the Mosavi family, now face homelessness and insecurity. Daughters who once attended school in Iran now face Taliban bans on girls’ education past sixth grade. Families are crammed into tent cities or forced to sleep in parks.
“I want my daughters to learn something,” said Zahir Mosavi, whose child Nargis, once an eighth grader, now clings to her basic tailoring skills in lieu of school.
The family’s teenage son, Ali Akbar, once obsessed with Iranian music, wept when he realized he’d lost his phone on the way to Herat. His backpack still carried a deflated soccer ball — a quiet symbol of a life interrupted.
A Crisis Ignored?
Afghanistan’s Taliban government has announced plans to build 35 townships to accommodate the returnees. But with little funding, minimal infrastructure, and broken international relations, implementation seems unlikely.
The United Nations Migration Agency has appealed for humane treatment of Afghans, while Afghan leaders have urged Iran to ease the crackdowns. So far, little has changed.
“We recognize Iran’s burden,” said a UN official in Kabul, “but this is a humanitarian emergency — not a border issue.”
The Bigger Picture
Iran’s move comes amid a regional trend of refugee expulsions. Pakistan has already expelled nearly a million Afghans in recent years. The cumulative effect is devastating — an entire generation being forcibly uprooted, returned to a home that no longer exists as they remember it.
And the world? Largely silent.
Want to help?
You can support vetted relief organizations such as:
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UNHCR: https://www.unhcr.org
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International Rescue Committee (IRC): https://www.rescue.org
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AfghanAid: https://www.afghanaid.org.uk
💬 What are your thoughts on this unfolding crisis?
📢 Should South Africa and the global community intervene or offer asylum?
Drop your comments below and join the discussion.
🔗 Read more: Trump’s Health Condition Raises Questions About 2026 Ambitions
Byline: The Daily South African Pulse
📍Published July 19, 2025
🕊️ Stay informed. Stay compassionate.
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