TEHRAN - Iran's special envoy to Afghanistan, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, has urged the United Nations to play a more active role in facilitating the return of Afghan refugees to their homeland.

In a Tuesday meeting with Roza Isakovna Otunbayeva, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan and head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), Kazemi Qomi emphasized the need for international organizations to assist the Afghan people.

According to Kazemi Qomi's post on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), he expressed Iran's readiness to immediately deliver humanitarian aid to flood victims and stressed the importance of addressing the root causes of migration. He also called on the UN to help facilitate the process of refugees returning to their country.

The meeting also covered current issues in Afghanistan and their regional impact, particularly the economic, security, and cultural consequences of migration waves. Kazemi Qomi pointed to the destructive role of the U.S. in the region and its illegal influence on the UN. He highlighted the organization's role in promoting sustainable peace and security in Afghanistan.

Since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees have fled to Iran through the country’s eastern borders. Estimates show that around 3 million Afghan refugees currently reside in Iran, the majority of whom are undocumented. 

Tehran says it is impossible to help the refugees with no assistance from international bodies, as the country is grappling with its own economic woes due to heavy U.S. sanctions. Iranian officials have emphasised multiple times that the refugees should be able to return to their home country while being treated with utmost dignity and respect.