UN suspends operations in Islam Qala.
The United Nations announced on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, that it has suspended its operations at the key border crossing between Afghanistan and Iran, following new restrictions imposed by the Taliban on the presence and activities of Afghan female staff at the Islam Qala border crossing.
The move comes after the new restrictions posed a serious challenge to the work of UN Women and partner agencies.
Indira Ratwat, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Afghanistan, expressed concern about the situation, saying that the restrictions created “immediate operational challenges” and posed “additional risks for returnees, especially women and girls.”
She stressed that more than 60 percent of migrants returning through the border are women and children, and without the presence of female staff, it is not possible to provide them with adequate and dignified services.
The Islam Qala crossing is one of the main routes for Afghan refugees deported from Iran, and according to statistics, more than 1.2 million people have crossed this border this year alone.
The suspension of UN and humanitarian partner services in the region has raised concerns about a widespread humanitarian crisis among returnees.
