Afghan migration to Iran is a sustained and multi-causal phenomenon rooted in the interplay of political, economic, social, and cultural factors within Afghanistan, the continuation of which highlights the necessity of targeted social policymaking in the host country. The expansion of insecurity and repressive governance, economic collapse and widespread poverty, severe educational and occupational restrictions on women, the intensification of ethnic and religious discrimination, the proliferation of ideological schools, and the decline of Afghanistan's academic system are among the primary drivers sustaining migration and diminishing the prospects for sustainable return. In Iran, the concentration of policies on threat-centric aspects and the temporary perception of migration have resulted in program inefficiency and a failure to harness immigrants' human capital; meanwhile, the prominent presence of Afghan elites and university students can serve as a vital opportunity for Iran's scientific and economic development. Effective policymaking requires the generation of comprehensive and reliable data, attention to the heterogeneity of immigrant groups, and the design of coherent policies based on four axes: opportunity/challenge, human rights (particularly women and children), security, and the labor market. Furthermore, institutional fragmentation and the absence of a unified authority for immigrant affairs have undermined policy coordination, making the establishment of a national organization or ministry of migration, the participation of universities and civil society, the regulation of consular policies, and the adoption of media strategies to prevent Afghanophobia key strategies for organizing migration and reducing social tensions.