A Tajik opposition group has slammed the Iranian government for what it claims is widespread human rights abuses against Afghan migrants and refugees, and called on the international community to launch an independent investigation into the problem.

In a statement issued this week, the Movement for Reforms and Development of Tajikistan, which is based in the Netherlands, called the situation “barbaric and inhumane,” citing allegations of systemic violence, including the destruction of migrants’ documents, extortion, beatings, and executions within Iranian detention camps.

“Women, children, the elderly, and the sick are subjected to systematic persecution, humiliation, violent deportations, mistreatment and arbitrariness by Iranian authorities,” the statement read.

“Iranian security forces confiscate property, destroy passports, and throw people across the border without food or water.”

The statement was issued during Muharram, the Islamic month of mourning, and invoked the legacy of Imam Hussein, condemning Iran’s treatment of fellow Muslims as a betrayal of Islamic values.

The movement’s statement aligns with reports from Afghan returnees, rights groups, and international agencies documenting conditions faced by undocumented Afghan migrants in Iran.

According to Iranian officials, nearly 490,000 Afghans have left Iran via the Dogharoun/Islam Qala border in the past 100 days, most of them undocumented. Iran insists these departures are voluntary, but independent reports suggest coercion and abuse have driven many across the border.

A 2025 investigation by Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Zagros Human Rights Center cited extensive evidence of torture in Iranian detention centers, including beatings, electric shocks, forced confessions, and death by medical neglect. Afghan detainees have been identified among the victims.

“Afghans in Iran are facing increasing pressure as their presence in the country is politicized and used as a scapegoat for social tensions.

“Many Afghans who fled to Iran after the Taliban (IEA) regained power in Afghanistan do not have legal residency, making them vulnerable to discrimination, exploitation, and deportation,” HRW said in a statement earlier this year.

The Movement for Reforms and Development sharply criticized what it described as Tehran’s hypocrisy, contrasting the Islamic Republic’s rhetoric about “Persian brotherhood” and “shared culture” with its actions on the ground.

“What kind of ‘civilization’ is this, where women are beaten to the point of broken bones, pregnant women are thrown out of buses, and children are left to die in the desert?

“Where is this so-called ‘brotherhood’ if destitute people who have lost everything are discarded beyond the country’s borders as if they are worthless and undeserving of even basic human dignity?” the group asked.

The group also accused the Iranian government of political manipulation, using cultural and religious ties with Afghanistan and Tajikistan to justify regional influence, while simultaneously mistreating vulnerable Afghan refugees.

“We state with absolute certainty: all of this is falsehood, hypocrisy, and political manipulation,” the group said.

The organization went on to urge Muslim-majority countries, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the United Nations, and independent human rights organizations to initiate an independent and impartial investigation into the crimes and mass human rights violations being committed by Iran against Afghan migrants and asylum seekers.

Iran has hosted millions of Afghan refugees for decades, but recent economic strain, tightening immigration policies, and geopolitical shifts have created a hostile environment for many Afghans.

While the Iranian government claims its repatriation programs are humane, growing accounts of violence and degradation have prompted increasing concern from human rights observers and regional activists.

Earlier this year, Iran’s envoy to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani said Iran’s longstanding policy toward Afghan refugees remains rooted in “humanitarian principles,” noting that legal Afghan migrants face no restrictions and that Iran continues to issue thousands of visas daily.

He acknowledged the burden of hosting millions of Afghans and emphasized that illegal entries are dealt with under law for national-security and public-order reasons—but denied any systematic mistreatment.

However, this month has seen the uptick in deportations amid regional tensions after Iran–Israel hostilities.

This week, government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani defended the large-scale removal of as many as 30,000 Afghans per day as necessary for national security.

She insisted Iran remains a “good host” but must protect its borders—denying that refugees were being targeted as spies, although acknowledging they’ve faced hardships at detention centres.

Nearly 490,000 undocumented Afghan nationals have voluntarily left Iran through the Dogharoun/Islam Qala border crossing in the past 100 days, according to Amirollah Shamghadari, deputy governor of Khorasan Razavi Province, which borders western Afghanistan.

In a statement this weekend, Shamghadari emphasized that the process has been conducted “with full respect and human dignity,” in line with Iran’s official policy of supporting voluntary, humane, and lawful departures.

“Sixty-seven percent of all Afghan exits have taken place via Dogharoun,” he noted, highlighting the crossing as the busiest point of return for Afghan nationals.

According to Iranian authorities, 26,000 Afghans crossed the border on Friday alone, many bypassing refugee camps entirely and proceeding directly into Afghanistan. Shamghadari said priority was being given to families who had voluntarily introduced themselves to authorities, rather than those apprehended during routine checks.

The official also underscored Iran’s rejection of xenophobia and anti-Afghan sentiment, pointing to the historic and cultural ties between the two neighboring countries. He said Afghan returnees had expressed satisfaction with services at the Safid Sang and Hasanabad camps, which are providing short-term humanitarian assistance.

Allegations of espionage dismissed

Responding to recent speculation that the exodus may be tied to espionage or infiltration concerns—including unverified claims of Afghan involvement in Israeli intelligence activities—Shamghadari dismissed such assertions as part of a “psychological operation” orchestrated by hostile actors.

“These are baseless rumors spread by the enemies of Iran. Our goal is to organize the current situation, not to politicize it,” he stated.

He added that Iran is exploring legal pathways for future re-entry by Afghan nationals under a regulated framework once identity, security, and documentation processes are streamlined.

The large-scale return of Afghan nationals, many of whom had been living in Iran without legal status for years, presents significant humanitarian and logistical challenges on both sides of the border.

Afghan authorities in Herat and Nimroz have reported growing pressure on local services and have appealed for greater international support to assist returnees.

According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), hundreds of thousands of Afghans have returned from Iran this year, with June alone seeing more than 137,000 arrivals via Islam Qala and Dogharoun.

Iran, long a host to millions of Afghan migrants and refugees, maintains that it will continue to coordinate with Afghan authorities and humanitarian agencies to ensure an orderly and respectful process.

U.S. President Donald Trump has described the withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan as “the most shameful moment in the history of the United States.”

His remarks came during a speech at the White House on Friday following the signing of what he called a “big, beautiful” tax bill into law.

Trump characterized the past four years as a “terrible and humiliating” chapter for the country — a period that he said “felt much longer than it actually was.”

Trump has repeatedly criticized the manner in which the U.S. military withdrew from Afghanistan, specifically highlighting the abandonment of Bagram Air Base, which he has called “tragic.”

He reiterated claims that the facility is now under Chinese control.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has categorically rejected assertions by Trump that Bagram Air Base is controlled by China.,

In March, IEA spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid publicly dismissed claims by Trump that Bagram Air Base is controlled by China.

At the time he said the claims were “based on unsubstantiated information”.

Mujahid emphasized that “Bagram is controlled by the Islamic Emirate, not China. Chinese troops are not present here, nor do we have any such pact with any country”.

“They should refrain from making emotional statements based on unsubstantiated information,” Mujahid said.

Bagram Air Base, once the logistical epicenter of U.S. operations, was handed over to Afghan forces in July 2021 shortly before the IEA returned to power.

Trump calls US withdrawal from Afghanistan ‘most shameful moment’ in American history

U.S. President Donald Trump has described the withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan as “the most shameful moment in the history of the United States.”

His remarks came during a speech at the White House on Friday following the signing of what he called a “big, beautiful” tax bill into law.

Trump characterized the past four years as a “terrible and humiliating” chapter for the country — a period that he said “felt much longer than it actually was.”

Trump has repeatedly criticized the manner in which the U.S. military withdrew from Afghanistan, specifically highlighting the abandonment of Bagram Air Base, which he has called “tragic.”

He reiterated claims that the facility is now under Chinese control.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has categorically rejected assertions by Trump that Bagram Air Base is controlled by China.,

In March, IEA spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid publicly dismissed claims by Trump that Bagram Air Base is controlled by China.

At the time he said the claims were “based on unsubstantiated information”.

Mujahid emphasized that “Bagram is controlled by the Islamic Emirate, not China. Chinese troops are not present here, nor do we have any such pact with any country”.

“They should refrain from making emotional statements based on unsubstantiated information,” Mujahid said.

Bagram Air Base, once the logistical epicenter of U.S. operations, was handed over to Afghan forces in July 2021 shortly before the IEA returned to power.