More than 1300 Iranian and Afghan activists, journalists, filmmakers and civil society members have signed a joint letter calling on the Iranian government to immediately halt the widespread deportation of Afghan migrants.

They also call for an end discriminatory policies targeting Afghan migrants.

The letter condemns Iran’s treatment of Afghan refugees as “inhumane” and “brutal,” citing arbitrary arrests, detentions, and deportationsincluding of individuals with valid legal documentation which have triggered fear and despair within the Afghan community.

“These days, we are witnessing news and images of how these people are being treated, searched and deported by the government and our only response is shame, anger and outcry,” the signatories wrote.

The statement urges Iranian citizens to speak out against the mistreatment of Afghan migrants, warning that public silence may be perceived as tacit approval of such actions.

The authors also expressed alarm at the sharp rise in anti-Afghan sentiment across Iran in recent months, noting that this hostility has intensified since the onset of the recent 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel. They allege that the Islamic Republic has escalated its crackdown on Afghan refugees in the aftermath of the war.

The appeal comes amid a growing humanitarian crisis, as tens of thousands of Afghans have been deported from Iran in recent weeks. Human rights organisations and international agencies continue to raise concerns about the treatment of Afghan migrants and the lack of protections afforded to them in host countries.