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53m ago

U.S. Charters Flight to Return About 120 Iranians After Rare Deal With Tehran

Iran says the flight begins a plan to send back roughly 400 people in a rare instance of coordination under President Trump's deportation drive.

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The deportations are a rare example of co-operation between Washington and Tehran. LightRocket / Getty Images

Overview

  • A U.S.-chartered plane left Louisiana late Monday carrying roughly 100–120 Iranian nationals and was scheduled to reach Iran via Qatar on Tuesday, according to officials cited by The New York Times.
  • Iranian foreign ministry official Hossein Noushabadi said this is the first phase of returning about 400 Iranians, most of whom entered the U.S. illegally, often through Mexico.
  • Noushabadi said some on the list had valid U.S. residence permits but consented to repatriation, and that the first group is expected to arrive in Iran within one to two days.
  • U.S. agencies had not publicly acknowledged the specific operation, while a White House spokesperson emphasized the administration’s broader effort to ramp up deportations.
  • Iranian and U.S. officials said months of talks preceded the arrangement; rights advocates warn the removals could endanger people with denied or unresolved asylum claims given Iran’s human rights record.