Iran has called for greater international support in hosting millions of Afghan refugees, warning that it is becoming increasingly difficult to manage the long-term humanitarian burden without a fair sharing of responsibilities.

Speaking at the Global Refugee Forum (GRF) Progress Review Meeting in Geneva this week, Nader Yarahmadi, Director of the Center for Foreign Nationals and Refugees at Iran’s Ministry of Interior, emphasised that continuing to host refugees without international assistance is no longer sustainable.

Iran has been hosting Afghan refugees for more than 45 years, one of the world’s largest and longest-standing refugee situations.

Yarahmadi highlighted that, despite oppressive sanctions and limited domestic resources, Iran has provided services beyond the obligations outlined in the 1951 Refugee Convention.

Iranian officials also pointed to the negative consequences of military interventions in regional countries, including Afghanistan and Iraq, by extra-regional powers.

“This situation has been the result of irresponsible policies and military interventions by the United States and its allies in the region,” Yarahmadi said.

Addressing concerns about the return of undocumented Afghan nationals, Yarahmadi noted that around 1 million Afghans return home annually, and that recent departures were influenced by Israel-U.S. attacks last June, which affected civilian areas.

Last October, he denied reports alleging misconduct or undue pressure on undocumented Afghans.

Currently, Iran hosts approximately 5 million refugees, the majority of whom are Afghan nationals who fled Soviet invasion and civil war in Afghanistan over the past four decades.

Iranian authorities plan to gradually reduce the number to 3 million, aligning with the 3 percent global standard for hosting refugees, as the country’s population is projected to reach 90 million next year.

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