Tens of thousands of Afghans expelled from Iran in recent weeks are facing an uncertain future as they return to a country beset by economic hardship, conflict scars, and severe restrictions, particularly for women.
Among them is 31-year-old Habiba, who was forced to abandon her nearly completed master’s degree in engineering. Having fled Taliban rule to pursue her education in Iran, she was deported in July with little more than her laptop and academic documents. “I was so close,” she said at Islam Qala, the main Afghan border post, her dreams now crushed in a homeland where women are banned from higher education.
The mass expulsions follow accusations by Iranian authorities that Afghan nationals were involved in espionage amid Iran’s recent conflict with Israel. According to the UNHCR, nearly 700,000 Afghans have been deported from Iran since June, with up to 30,000 being returned daily at the height of the war. Iran, however, insists most deportees were undocumented and left voluntarily.
Yet, many returnees interviewed by Reuters deny being illegal immigrants. Some held temporary census cards, which Iranian authorities say became invalid in March, requiring holders to leave by July. Aid workers say the sudden surge overwhelmed humanitarian systems, with many returnees arriving after days without food or water.
Women face the most harrowing challenges. Rahela, a 37-year-old single mother who once thrived in Tehran as a makeup artist and seamstress, now finds herself confined in Herat. Without a male guardian required by Taliban rules for women to travel or work—her ability to support her daughters is severely restricted.
The Afghan government, already struggling with donor fatigue and economic collapse, has urged Iran to slow the deportations to allow families to settle their affairs. Yet the pace shows little sign of easing.
Men, too, face deep disruption. Rahim Uzbek, 59, was deported alone after being arrested at work. Now living in a mosque near the border, he is separated from his family still in Iran.
As hopes are dashed and lives disrupted, many returnees say they are caught between two unwelcoming worlds—shunned by one, and stifled by the other.
