The United States has begun the process of deporting 120 Iranian nationals, a move confirmed by Tehran amidst President Donald Trump’s intensified crackdown on immigration. These individuals are expected to return to Iran within the next day or two, according to Hossein Noushabadi, an official with Iran’s foreign ministry, speaking to the Tasnim state news agency.
Most of those being flown back to Iran, via Qatar, had initially entered the U.S. without authorization, frequently through Mexico. In recent years, a rising number of Iranians have sought entry into the U.S., with many citing fears of persecution in their home country. While most are undocumented, Noushabadi indicated that some deportees possessed valid U.S. residency permits, noting that American officials had sought their consent for their return. He also urged the U.S. government to uphold the rights of Iranian migrants and their citizenship entitlements under international law.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson affirmed the administration’s commitment, stating that it aims to execute the most extensive mass deportation initiative of undocumented individuals in history, utilizing all available resources. This action aligns with President Trump’s repeated pledges to reduce immigration flows and deport a significant number of people residing in the U.S. without legal status, including to nations with controversial human rights records. While the President has vowed to initiate a “largest deportation programme of criminals,” it remains unconfirmed whether the Iranian nationals being deported possess criminal records.
Diplomatic Anomaly Amidst Geopolitical Tensions
This deportation effort represents a rare instance of direct cooperation between Iran and the United States, two nations that lack formal diplomatic ties. The arrangement for the removal of Iranian nationals was facilitated through Iran’s U.S. Interests Section, located within the Pakistani embassy in Tehran. Reports suggest this flight is the initial phase of a broader agreement, with approximately 400 Iranian nationals anticipated to be deported from the U.S. in subsequent stages. The U.S. has previously established similar bilateral deportation agreements with various countries, including Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Uganda.
The administration’s aggressive deportation policies have drawn sharp criticism from human rights organizations both domestically and internationally. These groups voice concerns that migrants face potential harm upon being sent back to their countries of origin. Iran’s own human rights record has been a subject of significant international scrutiny. UN experts recently highlighted a “dramatic escalation” in the use of the death penalty within Iran this year, a practice the Iranian government defends as being reserved for “the most severe crimes,” a claim disputed by human rights advocates.
What this means for the future of U.S.-Iran interactions, however limited, remains a crucial point of observation.
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