MASHHAD, Khorasan Province -- According to the analysis released by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), 78 percent of the Afghans repatriated since the beginning of the voluntary repatriation program (VRP) had left their homeland during Taleban rule.

the latest figures on Afghan immigrants leaving Iran since the implementation of VRP was released here on Sunday by UNHCR representative office in Tehran, IRNA reported.

The analysis is based on the survey made on 200,000 repatriated Afghans.

On the basis of a tripartite accord signed in Geneva on April 3, by Iran, Afghanistan and the UNHCR, the repatriation of over 400,000 refugees is stipulated by the end of 2002.

This is while, according to the report, around two-thirds of the Afghan immigrants participating in Iran's general census arrived here since Taleban came into power.

The report added that 75 percent of them are male.

Around 55 percent of the repatriated Afghans, who left Iran under the VRP scheme, ranged between five and 55 years of age. It added, "One-third of the Afghans who left Iran voluntarily were dispatched to their homeland from Tehran's two registration camps of Soleyman-Khani and Varamin."

Also the figure of the repatriated Afghans from Sistan-Baluchestan Province, Isfahan and Khorasan amount to 15 percent, and 10 percent each respectively which is in proportion to the Afghan migrants residing in the said areas.

According to the project on identification of Afghans residing Iran, implemented by the Bureau for Aliens and Foreign Immigrants' Affairs (BAFIA), one-third of the Afghans are Tajiks, one-third are Hazaras and the rest come from other origins.

The report added that two-thirds of the voluntarily repatriated Afghans are of Tajik origin, while Hazaras constitute one-sixth.

Iran has been sheltering more than two million Afghan refugees fleeing from civil wars and severe droughts in Afghanistan over the past two decades.