TEHRAN – The World Food Program (WFP) has released a report, expounding on activities in Iran over the month of July.

In July, WFP food assistance reached 33,269 beneficiaries, which included Afghan and Iraqi refugees as well as Iranian teachers. Refugees are assisted with a staple food basket, which includes fortified wheat flour (12 kg per person per month) and vegetable oil (810 ml per person per month).

Under cash-based transfers, following the revision of WFP’s Minimum Expenditure Basket (MEB) conducted in November 2024, the Centre for Aliens and Foreign Immigrants Affairs (CAFIA) confirmed adjustments to cash transfer values starting in January. 

In July, WFP continued to provide the increased cash transfers to better support essential living costs. The transfer is IRR 5 million (USD 7.2) for households headed by men and IRR 6 million (USD 8.6) for households headed by women.

In response to the recent escalation developments and their potential impact on refugees’ livelihoods, WFP provided an exceptional additional cash transfer equivalent to the July entitlement to all beneficiaries residing in settlements. This measure was taken to help safeguard their food security and temporarily boost the purchasing power of refugees facing reduced income during this challenging period.

WFP Iran’s school-based programs, including school feeding and educational incentives, have been temporarily suspended due to the summer holidays and will resume with the start of the new academic year in October.

By July, WFP Iran helped ease the financial burden associated with the gluten-free dietary needs of 52 refugee celiac patients from WFP’s beneficiaries by providing them with an extra cash amount of IRR 9.7 million (US$14.13) per person as a replacement for their usual food entitlement.

WFP supported 388 refugees with disabilities in July across ten settlements, each receiving an additional monthly cash support of IRR 3 million (US$4.3), on top of their regular aid. In July, assistance covered Kerman, Lorestan, West Azerbaijan, Fars, Khuzestan, Markazi, Khorasan Razavi, and Semnan provinces after initially being introduced to two refugee settlements across two provinces.

To enhance the economic resilience and self-sufficiency of 300 refugees (42 percent women) in July, WFP continued its support for 24 income-generating initiatives across 18 settlements. Activities included welding, tailoring, baking, and farming, among others.

In July, WFP advanced the procurement process for bakery equipment intended for Kerman settlements, with an estimated value of USD 30,000.

Over the past six months, more than one million undocumented Afghans have returned from Iran to Afghanistan. In contrast, about 35,000 registered refugees in designated settlements remain largely protected from immediate return. Supported by WFP, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and other agencies, these communities receive regular assistance and are closely coordinated with humanitarian actors. However, they remain heavily dependent on external support for food, healthcare,  and education, making sustained aid essential to their stability. 

In 2024, WFP provided a combination of in-kind and cash assistance to address the food needs of over 33,000 vulnerable refugees in Iran. As a result, 70 percent of them were able to consume food at an acceptable level, a figure that remains nearly stable compared to the previous year.

Since August, WFP has successfully increased the value of the cash transfer entitlement by 25 percent, actively helping to mitigate the immediate economic challenges reported by refugees.

WFP has maintained a presence in Iran since 1987, primarily focused on addressing the food security needs of refugees, mainly from Afghanistan. Iran has hosted refugees for over four decades. Most refugees, along with those in refugee-like conditions, reside in urban, peri-urban, and rural areas, often integrated with host communities. However, the most vulnerable refugees living in 20 settlements across 13 provinces face a precarious food security situation that necessitates continued humanitarian assistance by the WFP.

WFP provided food assistance, educational support, and livelihood opportunities through in-kind food distributions, unconditional cash transfers, and capacity-strengthening initiatives to eligible refugees who live in settlements.

Given the economic situation in Iran in recent years, Afghan refugees have also faced many challenges, including reduced income opportunities and diminished purchasing power, which have impacted their food security and well-being, particularly among those in settlements. In response, WFP adjusted its Interim Country Strategic Plan (ICSP 2023-2027) to align with the need by modifying cash entitlements and food rations, adjusting the number of beneficiaries, and extending the duration of the ICSP by two years to align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Framework (UNSDF 2023-2027), ensuring uninterrupted assistance. 

WFP implemented activities under the ICSP to sustain its support to these refugees and address their increasing humanitarian needs. There are around 35,000 most vulnerable documented refugees who live in 20 settlements across 13 provinces in Iran and are benefiting from WFP-provided food assistance. 

MT/MG