Overview
- An initial U.S.-chartered flight left Louisiana carrying roughly 100–120 Iranian nationals, the first tranche in a planned return of about 400 people over the coming weeks.
- Officials and media describe rare coordination after months of contacts between Washington and Tehran to facilitate returns to Iran through a transfer in Qatar.
- An unnamed U.S. official said the group includes convicted criminals and people who entered the country without authorization, with reports of mixed voluntariness among those on board.
- In many cases asylum claims were denied or still pending, while UNHCR reiterated that returns must respect access to protection and the non-refoulement principle.
- Iranian officials said some deportees held U.S. residency permits and asserted consent was obtained, as the White House emphasized broader deportation goals and U.S. agencies offered no details on the operation.