A recent crackdown by Iranian authorities leads to mass expulsions of Afghans, exacerbating humanitarian concerns while fueling anti-Afghan sentiment within the country.
**Iran Expels Over 1.5 Million Afghans Amid Espionage Allegations**
**Iran Expels Over 1.5 Million Afghans Amid Espionage Allegations**
As tensions rise following conflict with Israel, Iran intensifies deportations of undocumented Afghan refugees, branding some as spies.
In the wake of a 12-day conflict with Israel, Iran has expelled over 1.5 million Afghan refugees, citing concerns over national security and allegations of espionage. These deportations have forced many Afghans, some who have lived in Iran for years, to return under treacherous conditions, leaving them destitute and traumatized.
One Afghan, who spoke to the BBC under the pseudonym Ali Ahmad, recounted a harrowing experience after being detained. He displayed bruises on his back from beatings inflicted by Iranian officers, who accused him of spying for Israel. “They treated us like animals,” he said, revealing the severity of the mistreatment faced by many during these detentions.
Iran claims to host more than four million undocumented Afghans, many of whom originally fled conflict in their homeland. However, recent events have seen a sharp increase in forced expulsions following the war with Israel, with daily returns hitting approximately 50,000, as reported by the United Nations.
Afghans have become scapegoats in Iran, often facing accusations of collaboration with Israel's intelligence, Mossad. Iranian media assertions that certain Afghans were detained for espionage have fueled a climate of fear and mistrust. One Afghan stated, “We’re afraid to go anywhere, constantly worried that we might be labelled as spies.” The Iranian government, facing embarrassment over its failures to combat Israel's intelligence operations, appears to be seeking internal scapegoats for its shortcomings.
Critics suggest that the allegations against Afghans serve a dual purpose: to legitimize the government's aggressive deportation agenda and to distract from Iran's own security faults. In the weeks following the onset of the conflict, misinformation spread rapidly across social media, distorting the realities faced by Afghan migrants and stoking anti-Afghan sentiments, particularly as Iranian authorities encouraged citizens to report suspicious activities allegedly linked to Afghans.
Humanitarian experts have raised alarms about the challenges this influx of returning refugees poses to Afghanistan, which is already grappling with severe economic and social instability. As Iranians increasingly view Afghan migrants as an economic burden, tensions have escalated, and a culture of hostility has taken root. This shift in sentiment marks a departure from the previous willingness to accept Afghan migrants fleeing conflict.
Dr. Khadija Abbasi from the School of Oriental and African Studies highlights that the ongoing expulsion wave and the ensuing mistreatment of Afghans stem from long-standing biases, claiming that past negative publicity has led to a spike in hate crimes over the years.
As the border continues to teem with returning Afghans, individuals like Abdullah Rezaee share heartbreaking stories of loss. “I lost everything,” he lamented, reflecting the dire consequences of Iran's recent policies.
Experts and activists urge that the situation requires an urgent reassessment of how Afghan refugees are treated in Iran, calling for a cease in the violent expulsions that increasingly target the vulnerable populace. With uncertainty clouding their futures, many Afghans remain in a precarious position, as the humanitarian crisis heightens amidst shifting geopolitical dynamics.
One Afghan, who spoke to the BBC under the pseudonym Ali Ahmad, recounted a harrowing experience after being detained. He displayed bruises on his back from beatings inflicted by Iranian officers, who accused him of spying for Israel. “They treated us like animals,” he said, revealing the severity of the mistreatment faced by many during these detentions.
Iran claims to host more than four million undocumented Afghans, many of whom originally fled conflict in their homeland. However, recent events have seen a sharp increase in forced expulsions following the war with Israel, with daily returns hitting approximately 50,000, as reported by the United Nations.
Afghans have become scapegoats in Iran, often facing accusations of collaboration with Israel's intelligence, Mossad. Iranian media assertions that certain Afghans were detained for espionage have fueled a climate of fear and mistrust. One Afghan stated, “We’re afraid to go anywhere, constantly worried that we might be labelled as spies.” The Iranian government, facing embarrassment over its failures to combat Israel's intelligence operations, appears to be seeking internal scapegoats for its shortcomings.
Critics suggest that the allegations against Afghans serve a dual purpose: to legitimize the government's aggressive deportation agenda and to distract from Iran's own security faults. In the weeks following the onset of the conflict, misinformation spread rapidly across social media, distorting the realities faced by Afghan migrants and stoking anti-Afghan sentiments, particularly as Iranian authorities encouraged citizens to report suspicious activities allegedly linked to Afghans.
Humanitarian experts have raised alarms about the challenges this influx of returning refugees poses to Afghanistan, which is already grappling with severe economic and social instability. As Iranians increasingly view Afghan migrants as an economic burden, tensions have escalated, and a culture of hostility has taken root. This shift in sentiment marks a departure from the previous willingness to accept Afghan migrants fleeing conflict.
Dr. Khadija Abbasi from the School of Oriental and African Studies highlights that the ongoing expulsion wave and the ensuing mistreatment of Afghans stem from long-standing biases, claiming that past negative publicity has led to a spike in hate crimes over the years.
As the border continues to teem with returning Afghans, individuals like Abdullah Rezaee share heartbreaking stories of loss. “I lost everything,” he lamented, reflecting the dire consequences of Iran's recent policies.
Experts and activists urge that the situation requires an urgent reassessment of how Afghan refugees are treated in Iran, calling for a cease in the violent expulsions that increasingly target the vulnerable populace. With uncertainty clouding their futures, many Afghans remain in a precarious position, as the humanitarian crisis heightens amidst shifting geopolitical dynamics.
