Afghan migrants in Iran are calling for an end to the forced deportation process being carried out by the host country.

They urged the Afghanistan caretaker government and the host state to address their concerns.

Safar Barez, an Afghan migrant in Iran, said: “Afghan migrants are facing mass and indiscriminate deportations from Iran, and so far, no effective action has been taken to halt these forced removals.”

Enayat Alokozai, an Afghan migrant in Iran, said: “Most migrants who have lived in Iran for many years and possess Hamayesh cards and other residency documents have been given only one to two years to leave the country.”

Meanwhile, following Pakistan’s announcement of a deadline for the voluntary return of Afghan migrants holding temporary residence cards (PoR) by the end of June, some Afghan migrants have expressed concern over the start of this process and are urging the Pakistani government to extend the deadline.

Atiqullah Mansoor, an Afghan migrant in Pakistan, said: “PoR cardholders are also facing the same fate as previously deported migrants and are living in fear and anxiety, as there are only about fifty days left until the end of June, and none of the relevant immigration departments have yet provided a positive response.”

Malik Shinwari, an Afghan migrant in Pakistan, said: “Our request of the Islamic Emirate is to strengthen its relations with the Pakistani government so that more time can be granted for Afghan migrants to remain in that country.”

Some migrant rights activists said the caretaker government should enter into negotiations with host countries—especially Iran and Pakistan—through cooperation with international institutions to address the ongoing challenges.

Jumakhan Poya, a migrant rights activist, said: “Authorities in Afghanistan are obligated to engage in dialogue with host governments, particularly those of Iran and Pakistan, in coordination with international organizations such as UNHCR and IOM, to defend the lives, property, and dignity of Afghan migrants.”

Mohammad Khan Talebi Mohammadzai, an activist, said: “Host governments must cooperate with Afghanistan so that these deportations can be postponed and, with the coordination of the current government and support of international organizations, a voluntary return process can be arranged.”

Earlier, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that over 231,000 undocumented migrants had returned from Iran and Pakistan in the past 34 days.