Geneva: There has been no mass outflow from Iran despite rising tensions in the Middle East, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Friday. Cross-border mobility around Iran has remained "broadly stable, with no observed surge in movements or atypical outflows from the country," Zoe Brennan, a policy and strategic communications advisor at IOM, told reporters.
According to Anadolu Agency, IOM's Displacement Tracking Matrix recorded 97,527 movements from Iran to Afghanistan and 7,542 to Pakistan between March 1 and 23. During the same period, 32,576 movements from Afghanistan into Iran were observed. The agency noted that this data reflects the "fluid and complex mobility dynamics" in the region.
Neighboring countries have also documented arrivals of third-country nationals leaving Iran. More than 500 individuals crossed into Turkmenistan, while 549 people from countries such as Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Germany, and India entered Armenia. In Azerbaijan, there were crossings from Iran involving 486 Azerbaijanis, 722 Chinese, 323 Russians, and 198 Bangladeshis.
Requests from governments for evacuation support are increasing, with IOM assisting Bangladesh in evacuating 186 nationals on March 20. Brennan emphasized that IOM continues to monitor the situation and is prepared to support affected populations.
Regional escalation has persisted since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, resulting in over 1,340 deaths, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, leading to casualties, infrastructure damage, and disruptions to global markets and aviation.