Thousands of Afghans are returning from Iran as war-related economic disruption, high inflation and a weakened currency make work and daily life increasingly difficult there, Reuters reported from western Afghanistan.
Interviews at the Islam Qala crossing described families coming back with little money after savings held in Iranian rials lost much of their value. Migration surveys cited by Reuters found that only a minority of recent returnees still had savings.
Returnees face another difficult transition inside Afghanistan, where employment remains limited and restrictions on women's education and work shape family choices. Local officials at Islam Qala said dozens of families are returning voluntarily each day, while aid and migration agencies are tracking the growing pressure on communities receiving them.
Source reference: Reuters, 17 September 2026.