2022
First intervention
2,200
People reached
4
Projects
1,722,150€
Budget spent
Context
With a border of over 900 km shared with Afghanistan, Iran has been hosting a very high number of refugees for over four decades, estimated at between 4% and 11% of the total population. Although official figures report 1.6 million Afghan nationals, informal estimates suggest a figure of between 6 and 8 million people. In 2025, the country faced a multidimensional crisis exacerbated by international sanctions, extremely high inflation and growing social tensions. Against this backdrop, a forced repatriation plan was launched targeting 2 million Afghan nationals in an irregular situation, reaching an estimated 1.6 to 1.8 million people, despite the precarious security conditions in Afghanistan.
The situation was further destabilised by the conflict triggered by the 12-day US-Israeli attacks that broke out in June 2025, resulting in nearly a thousand deaths and around 4,800 injuries. The impact of the conflict, combined with systemic barriers to accessing sustainable livelihoods, has fuelled a cycle of poverty affecting both refugees and host communities alike. This economic fragility prevents many families from covering the costs of essential services and the renewal of identity documents, exponentially increasing protection risks and limiting access to durable solutions in a climate of growing international isolation.
INTERSOS’ intervention
INTERSOS operates in Iran by adapting its strategy to a particularly complex regulatory framework, which requires international organisations to implement projects exclusively through local non-governmental partners. Together with national NGOs, we ensure access to quality health and protection services for both the Afghan population – with and without documents – and for Iranian host communities, who are particularly vulnerable due to the economic crisis and regional tensions.
The health sector has been the main pillar of the intervention. The organisation has actively supported the provincial health systems of Alborz, Kerman, Hormozgan, South Khorasan and Yazd. Through an infrastructure rehabilitation plan, twelve health facilities have been refurbished, whilst fourteen primary care centres have been equipped with new medical equipment and technical fittings. These interventions have raised the standards of basic medical services in areas densely populated by refugees. A financial assistance programme dedicated to healthcare was also implemented, enabling 1,108 Afghan citizens to cover the costs of specialist medical services that would otherwise have been unaffordable.
In terms of protection, INTERSOS’s work focused on supporting people with disabilities or specific needs, a group particularly vulnerable to the risks arising from poverty and social isolation. Through the provision of financial assistance, 1,071 individuals were able to purchase assistive devices and access the rehabilitation services necessary to improve their independence and quality of life. This model of intervention, based on strengthening existing public structures and providing direct financial support, has enabled a comprehensive response to the needs of a population that faces systemic barriers to accessing fundamental rights on a daily basis.
