Afghan Refugees in Iran: From Refugee Emergency to Migration Management

The document examines the challenges of managing a population of 2.3 million Afghans in Iran, distinguishing between legal refugees and labour migrants. It argues for a comprehensive migration management approach that includes screening, sustained reconstruction in Afghanistan, and regional cooperation to facilitate gradual, voluntary repatriation while maintaining legal labour channels.

• The Afghan population in Iran is composed of two distinct groups with different rights and needs: approximately 1.1 million refugees or persons 'of concern' to UNHCR, and roughly 1.2 million labour migrants, totaling 2.3 million registered Afghans as of 2003.
• The Iranian government's attitude toward Afghan refugees has shifted toward viewing them as a burden, driven by domestic unemployment and security concerns such as drug smuggling and border violence, leading to a demand that all Afghans return to Afghanistan.
• Repatriation efforts are hindered by slow reconstruction, persistent security problems, and drought in southwestern Afghanistan, leading many returnees to migrate to cities like Kabul and Herat, or to maintain a security net by keeping one family member working in Iran.
• There is a significant protection risk for mixed families; Iranian women who marry Afghan men lose their citizenship, potentially leaving approximately 30,000 people at risk of involuntary return to Afghanistan.
• UNHCR is advocating for a 'comprehensive approach' to migration management that prioritizes the screening of refugees versus migrants and emphasizes that future population movements should be handled through normalized bilateral and regional relations.
• The document identifies two central solutions for transitioning from refugee emergencies to migration management: the implementation of screening to separate refugees from economic migrants, and the provision of sustained external assistance for reconstruction in the country of origin.

APA

Strand, A., Suhrke, A., & Harpviken, K. B. (2004). Afghan Refugees in Iran: From Refugee Emergency to Migration Management. Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/a0eccd28-ac4e-4d6c-8584-d5e93760e85d/CMI-PRIO-AfghanRefugeesInIran.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

Strand, Arne, Astri Suhrke, and Kristian Berg Harpviken. Afghan Refugees in Iran: From Refugee Emergency to Migration Management. Peace Research Institute Oslo, 2004. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/a0eccd28-ac4e-4d6c-8584-d5e93760e85d/CMI-PRIO-AfghanRefugeesInIran.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Strand |first1=Arne |last2=Suhrke |first2=Astri |last3=Harpviken |first3=Kristian Berg |title=Afghan Refugees in Iran: From Refugee Emergency to Migration Management |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |date=16 June 2004 |url=https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/a0eccd28-ac4e-4d6c-8584-d5e93760e85d/CMI-PRIO-AfghanRefugeesInIran.pdf?inline=true |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{strand2004afghan, author = {Strand, Arne and Suhrke, Astri and Harpviken, Kristian Berg}, title = {{Afghan Refugees in Iran: From Refugee Emergency to Migration Management}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, year = {2004}, month = jun, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/a0eccd28-ac4e-4d6c-8584-d5e93760e85d/CMI-PRIO-AfghanRefugeesInIran.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }