The United States will deport approximately 400 Iranians, primarily individuals who entered the country illegally, under a new arrangement with Tehran following months of negotiations between the two nations.
The deportation operation marks a rare instance of cooperation between Washington and Tehran amid ongoing tensions.
Iranian Foreign Ministry official Hossein Noushabadi revealed: "In the first step, they decided to deport 120 Iranians who entered the U.S. illegally, most of whom through Mexico."
Noushabadi called on Washington to respect the rights of Iranian migrants, though specific details regarding individual cases remain unclear.
The initial group of deportees is scheduled to reach Iran within one to two days aboard U.S. chartered flights.
“The deportation initiative indicated a flight departed from Louisiana on Monday, September 29, 2025 and was scheduled to arrive in Iran via Qatar on Tuesday, September 30, 2025,” initially reported by The New York Times.
Some detainees had volunteered to return while others were compelled, with Noushabadi noting some deportees held valid residence permits but consented to return following discussions with U.S. immigration authorities.
The Trump administration has intensified its immigration enforcement efforts, describing the measure as necessary following what it characterizes as high illegal border crossings under the previous administration.
Meanwhile, the administration has faced challenges in notably increasing deportation numbers, recently creating new pathways to send migrants to third countries.
The White House and State Department had not responded to requests by reporters for comment at the time of reporting.