KABUL, May 22 (Xinhua) -- About 185,000 Afghan refugees have returned from Pakistan, Iran and European Union states since the beginning of this year, United Nations migration agency, International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported Wednesday.

About 184,185 Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan since Jan. 1, 2019, said IOM in a statement.

A total of 174,666 Afghans have reportedly returned their homeland from Iran as Afghan refugees have been facing difficulties in finding jobs for a long time.

Meanwhile, 9,519 Afghans have come back home from Pakistan during the period, said the statement.

Up to 715 Afghans also returned from European Union states over the period.

More than 849,000 Afghan refugees had returned or been deported to Afghanistan in 2018 mainly from neighboring countries, according to figures from Afghan Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations.