Groups of Iranian migrants have begun gathering along the northern coast of France with the intention of crossing the English Channel to reach the United Kingdom.
Around two dozen migrants, most in their twenties, recently arrived at a migrant settlement known as the “Jungle” in Loon-Plage in northern France. Several said they had fled Iran only days earlier.
One migrant in the section of the camp known as Eastern Kurdistan said more Iranians were expected to arrive in the coming weeks.
Migration experts have warned that instability in Iran could potentially trigger a significant rise in migration toward Europe. Some analysts say that if even a small share of Iran’s population of about 90 million people were displaced, it could rival some of the largest refugee movements of recent decades.
Former British Conservative lawmaker Tobias Ellwood said military pressure alone could have unintended consequences for regional stability and migration.
“You can’t just affect a country by bombs alone and expect it to all end well,” he said.
Some migrants say they fled Iran because of political repression following protests and increased security crackdowns after last year’s brief conflict between Iran and Israel.
A 21-year-old migrant identified as Jiletni said he left Iran with a friend to escape what he described as constant government surveillance. He said he was from Kermanshah, a city in Iran’s Kurdish region where reports say dozens of protesters were shot by security forces during demonstrations.
According to UK migration data, Iranian nationals made up about 11 percent of more than 41,000 migrants who arrived in Britain via small boats crossing the English Channel last year. They also became one of the most common nationalities arriving at British airports without documentation.
Another migrant, 24-year-old Muhammed, was seen helping new arrivals in the camp by directing them to food stalls operated by local charities.
Muhammed said he fears he could be killed if he returned to Iran because of his political activism. He also said he believes some relatives may have been killed in air strikes carried out during recent regional tensions.
Between 2015 and 2024, around 62,000 Iranian nationals applied for asylum in the United Kingdom, according to data from the Migration Observatory.
Channel crossings have continued this year despite increased enforcement efforts. On February 25, about 590 migrants crossed the Channel in a single day, the largest daily number recorded so far in 2026.
The International Organization for Migration has warned that escalating tensions in the Middle East could contribute to further displacement. The agency estimates that around 19 million people worldwide are currently displaced due to conflict, violence and disasters.