Iran blasts global aid cuts as Afghan refugee costs rise to $10 billion

Iran has criticized the international community for failing to meet even basic commitments to support millions of Afghan refugees, saying steep cuts in aid have left the country carrying an unsustainable financial burden despite years of warnings.

Addressing a UN Security Council session on Afghanistan, Iran’s ambassador and permanent representative, Amir Saeed Iravani, said international funding for Afghan refugees in Iran is set to drop by more than 60% in 2026.

“Iran has borne a disproportionate burden for decades by hosting millions of Afghan refugees while itself being subjected to severe unilateral sanctions. This responsibility has imposed immense economic and security pressures, with annual costs reaching nearly ten billion dollars, in the absence of adequate international support,” he said.

Iravani said Iran’s costs for hosting Afghan refugees have reached nearly $10 billion annually, covering health and education services, housing, infrastructure, security, and state subsidies such as food, fuel and electricity.

The figure reflects Iran’s domestic expenditure, not international assistance, and Tehran says it has been forced to absorb these costs largely alone.

Iravani said Iran has repeatedly warned the UN and donors that it cannot sustain these pressures without substantial and sustained help. The reduction violates the principle that responsibility for refugees should be shared among states, he added.

“Iran has repeatedly and unequivocally stated, including from this very podium, that it cannot and will not continue to shoulder alone the disproportionate burden of hosting more than six million Afghan nationals without genuine international solidarity, equitable burden-sharing, and tangible financial support.”

Iravani dismissed claims by former US envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad that Iran is “summarily expelling” Afghan refugees, saying the allegations “do not hold up to scrutiny.” He said Iran is returning only undocumented Afghan nationals.

“The return of undocumented Afghan nationals has been conducted in full conformity with international law and humanitarian principles, with strict respect for human dignity,” he said.

Fact check: Is Iran ‘summarily expelling’ Afghan refugees, as claimed by ex-US envoy?

Claims made by former US envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad that Iran is “summarily expelling” Afghan refugees do not hold up to scrutiny.

Iran began deporting undocumented Afghans in late June following a 12-day Israeli military aggression against the country. Tehran says the measures target individuals without legal residency and are carried out under procedures aligned with its obligations under international law.

Iravani also said the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) remains essential for addressing the country’s political, economic and humanitarian challenges. He said Iran supports the mission’s mandate and is ready to work with the UN and regional partners.

Despite this, he said the fundamental issue remains the lack of meaningful international backing for countries hosting Afghan populations.

The sharp cuts in funding for 2026, he said, show that the international community has not lived up to “even the most basic commitments” to assist Afghan refugees, leaving Iran to manage a burden it says should be shared globally.

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