Zahra's family fled Afghanistan for Iran almost 30 years ago. Today, the 23-year-old — who is married with a young daughter — lives in constant fear of deportation. Her husband, who also fled Afghanistan, works as an agricultural laborer.

"He can be arrested at any time on his way to work or home and deported to Afghanistan, like so many others," said Zahra.

According to a UN report published in July, 1.35 million Afghan refugees have been forced to leave Iran in recent months. Many were arrested and deported, while others returned voluntarily for fear of arbitrary arrest.

Zahra, who was born and raised in Iran, only has a temporary residence permit. "I'm listed in my parents' family passport, which is valid until September," she explained. The travel document is checked regularly and renewed every six months.

Even those Afghan refugees who have lived in Iran for generations — some now in their second or third — they are not granted Iranian citizenship.

For over 40 years, people have been fleeing Afghanistan to escape war, poverty, and now the Taliban's rule. Many initially seek refuge in neighboring countries such as Iran or Pakistan, however, they are often among the first people to be blamed for pushing up unemployment and crime.

Arbitrarily arrested and deported 

After the recent 12-day war between Israel and Iran, Iranian authorities launched a large-scale deportation campaign against Afghans who they say are living in their country illegally. 

In response to the deportation campaign, more than 1,300 Iranian and Afghan activists, journalists, artists, and citizens have written an open letter to the Iranian government.

They are calling for an immediate end to the repression of Afghan refugees, who are being arbitrarily arrested and deported. They also call on the Iranian people to oppose these attacks so that their silence is not perceived as complicity.

Refugees have long complained about systematic and increasingly intense racist attitudes in society, which they say are being fueled by the authorities.

Negative coverage in Iranian media shifts blame for social and economic problems onto refugees, fueling resentment among disadvantaged groups and turning them against the migrants.

Zahra recalls that, as a documented refugee, she wasn't even given a place in school, on the grounds that there weren't enough places for locals.

"The deportations in recent months have often been carried out without regard for international standards," argued Afghan human rights activist Abdullah Ahmadi. "Many of those deported were taken to the border overnight — without shelter, medical care, or adequate food. Some even had to pay for the journey themselves."

Among the returnees are numerous families who returned to Afghanistan on their own initiative for fear of arbitrary arrest. Many of them say they have not received their outstanding wages or the deposits they paid for their apartments.

Cooperation with the Taliban

In response to growing criticism, the Iranian authorities emphasize that they had asked all "illegal" refugees to leave the country six months ago.

Nader Yarahmadi, head of the Center for Foreigners and Refugees at the Ministry of the Interior, told the state news agency IRNA in early July: "We announced in March that all illegal migrants must leave the country by July 15 at the latest."

The increased number of irregular immigrants from Afghanistan following the Taliban's takeover has placed an enormous strain on the country's limited resources. In January, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi traveled to the Afghan capital, Kabul, to negotiate cooperation with the Taliban, including the deportation of refugees.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in July that he was "ready to travel to Afghanistan to open a new chapter in relations between the two countries."

His announcement was widely interpreted as possibly signaling recognition of the Taliban. However, Iran's Foreign Ministry later clarified that the statement was merely an expression of personal interest and there were no official travel plans.

The mass deportations have led to growing criticism of Iran within Afghan society. "The current situation is not conducive to a diplomatic trip," according to international relations expert Ahmad Ehsan Sarwaryar.

"In just 40 days, almost one million people have been deported. This is overwhelming basic services in western Afghanistan," he said.

Sarwaryar supports the accommodation of returnees in the western Afghan city of Herat, where he has described a worsening humanitarian catastrophe.

Almost 23 million people in Afghanistan already depend on humanitarian aid. Now hundreds of thousands of returnees are joining them, left without shelter, work, or prospects for the future.

"My plan was always to return to Afghanistan after school and study there," Zahra told DW. "In Iran, I have to pay for my studies because I don't have an Iranian passport. The Taliban came to power in Afghanistan in August 2021 and shattered my dreams."

Four of her friends and acquaintances, who were deported from Iran with their families in recent months, now live together with their young children in a sparsely-furnished small house that has no electricity.

Zahra and her family were forced to leave Iran 20 years ago. After a brief stay, they returned.

Today, the 950-kilometer (590-mile) long frontier with Afghanistan — parts of which run through inaccessible, high mountain ranges — remains largely uncontrolled by Iranian authorities, making border crossings difficult to monitor.

This article was originally published in German.

Edited by: Karl Sexton