This map shows the geographic distribution of refugees in Iran. The map uses the proportions from the 2015 Amayesh registration applied to data from 2020

The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.

* Out of the total number of repatriated refugees the majority are Afghans. See breakdown of nationalities below

The Islamic Republic of Iran (Iran) hosts some 3.8 million refugees and people in refugee-like situations, making Iran the largest refugee-hosting country globally according to the UNHCR Global Trends report released in June 2024. This showcases Iran’s generosity in hosting refugees for over 40 years including those who arrived following the 2021 developments in Afghanistan. This figure encompasses 773,000 refugees, including 761,000 Afghan Amayesh card holders and 12,000 Iraqi Hoviat card holders, as well as 3,000,000 people in refugee-like situations, including 2,600,000 headcount slip holders and 368,000 new arrivals. 99 per cent of these refugees and people in refugee-like situations reside in urban areas, and the remaining one per cent live in 20 government-run refugee settlements.
Iran is a signatory to the 1951 Convention and its 1967 Protocol in July 1976 and upholds its international obligations pertaining to the rights of refugees and forcibly displaced populations. Some domestic legislation and ad-hoc government schemes have provided displaced persons with different forms of status, protection, and rights. In 2022, the Government of Iran undertook a headcount of all undocumented Afghan nationals in Iran, including those who had arrived in Iran since 2021. The headcount was concluded in June 2022, and some 2.6 million Afghans were registered by the government through the headcount exercise and received headcount slips providing them with a form of temporary protection against refoulment and access to some public services.
Within the framework of the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees (SSAR), since 2012, UNHCR has worked closely with the Government of Iran, national and international NGOs, and UN agencies in seeking solutions and providing a multitude of services to the forcibly displaced population. To ensure assistance is coordinated in a coherent and complementary way amongst humanitarian partners, UNHCR leads the development and implementation of Refugee Response Plans (RRPs). UNHCR continues to support the Government in implementing its inclusive refugee policies to achieve equal access to education, free primary health care, and livelihood opportunities, through the construction of schools, provision of DAFI scholarships for tertiary students, procurement of medical equipment and pharmaceuticals, construction, and repair of health centres, provision of psychosocial counseling, vocational training and support for income generating activities. UNHCR continues to identify the most vulnerable refugees and address their specific protection risks. Concerns however remain over complex protection risks and increasing needs and vulnerabilities of refugees, while a challenging economic situation is posing a substantial strain on the government's ability to maintain its inclusive policies.
Resettlement is one of the durable solutions to the plight of refugees. In the spirit of international responsibility-sharing, UNHCR Iran works with resettlement States to receive resettlement quotas as it is an essential element of international protection. In reference to UNHCR Guidance Note on International Protection Needs of People Fleeing Afghanistan, UNHCR emphasizes that the environment in Afghanistan is not conducive to return, and Afghan nationals in Iran are considered to be in predominantly a refugee situation regardless of their legal status. In line with its non-return advisory for Afghanistan, UNHCR remains cautious about the unpredictable human rights situation in Afghanistan and ensures that refugees make the choice to return to their countries of origin in a voluntary and informed manner through the provision of enhanced counselling to prospective returnees under its voluntary repatriation programme.