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.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has generously hosted forcibly displaced people for more than 40 years, upholding refugee-inclusive policies and largely ensuring their access to essential public services, particularly healthcare and education. In 2025, UNHCR estimates that around 2.5 million forcibly displaced people of different documentation statuses reside in Iran, including some 770,000 refugees with Amayesh (758,000 Afghans) and Hoviat cards (12,000 Iraqis). Notably, 99% of these populations reside in urban areas, with the remaining 1% living in 20 government-run refugee settlements.
Iran is a signatory to the 1951 Convention and its 1967 Protocol since July 1976, but the domestic legislation and ad hoc government initiatives have resulted in a variety of documentation statuses for forcibly displaced persons, leading to differing levels of protection and access to rights.
Since 2012, in the framework of the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees (SSAR), UNHCR has collaborated closely with the Government of Iran, national and international NGOs, and UN agencies to seek solutions and provide a range of services to the forcibly displaced population. UNHCR leads the development and implementation of Refugee Response Plans (RRPs) to ensure coordinated and complementary assistance among humanitarian partners.
UNHCR continues to support the Government in providing refugees access to education, health, and livelihoods. In addition, UNHCR provides individual protection interventions such as legal and psychosocial counseling, Cash-Based Interventions (CBI) to the most vulnerable families, Universal Public Health Insurance (UPHI) for vulnerable refugees, DAFI scholarships for students in tertiary education, procurement of medical equipment and pharmaceuticals, livelihoods and vocational training, and support to income-generating activities. UNHCR maintains regular contact with the persons we serve through various channels of Communication with Communities as part of Accountability to Affected People and addresses their specific protection risks. Return and resettlement remain crucial solutions for refugees.
Despite these efforts, concerns persist over complex protection risks and the increasing needs and vulnerabilities of refugees, compounded by a challenging economic situation that requires robust international responsibility sharing.