Deported migrants say family members were left behind in Iran

ISLAM QALA, HERAT — Afghan migrants recently deported from Iran say they were expelled without notice, while their spouses and children were left behind, separated at the border with no clear means of reunification.

Several returnees interviewed at the Islam Qala crossing in western Herat Province said they were detained during routine workdays, held in detention camps, and then deported — often without the chance to contact or accompany their families.

Many allege they were subjected to harassment, extortion, and verbal abuse during the deportation process.

“While I was expelled, my wife and children were left behind in Iran,” said Ashraf Bamiani, one of the returnees. “They told us, ‘You’re dogs and donkeys. You betrayed us. Get out of our country.’”

Others echoed similar experiences, stating that Iranian officials demanded bribes at various stages of the journey back to Afghanistan.

Mohammad Omar, another deportee, said he was detained despite having valid documents. “They didn’t check visas or exit stamps,” he said. “Half of our families are on one side of the border, and the rest are here. No one is accountable. I paid 15 million tomans just to be brought to the border.”

Sardar Ahmad, who was also expelled, said, “We were working and causing no harm when the officers came and took us away. We didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye.”

Tensions escalated following a temporary cease-fire between Iran and Israel earlier this month, after which Iranian authorities intensified their mass deportation campaign. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that more than 256,000 Afghans were deported from Iran in June alone — the highest single-month figure on record.

According to Taliban officials, approximately 30,000 migrants entered Afghanistan through Islam Qala between Saturday and Tuesday, with 6,500 crossing on Tuesday alone.

The United Nations has warned that Afghanistan, already facing an economic collapse and a protracted humanitarian crisis, lacks the capacity to absorb such large-scale returns. Aid agencies have called for urgent international support to address the growing pressure on border communities and humanitarian infrastructure.