Iran Reports Departure of Second Flight with 55 Deported Nationals from the United States

TEHRAN – A second flight has departed from the United States, carrying a group of Iranians who have been deported, according to Iranian officials. This development comes amid reports that the U.S. intends to expel hundreds of detainees back to Iran.

These deportations occur against the backdrop of heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran, following the U.S. military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities during the 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel in June. Concerns have been raised by international activists about the fate of these deportees, as Iran’s regime has intensified its crackdown on intellectuals and increased the execution of prisoners to levels not seen in decades.

The Mizan news agency, which serves as the official voice of Iran’s judiciary, reported on Monday that Mojtaba Shasti Karimi, an official from the Iranian Foreign Ministry, confirmed the deportation of 55 Iranians.

Karimi noted, “These individuals expressed their willingness to return in response to the continuation of anti-immigration and discriminatory policies against foreign nationals, particularly Iranians, by the United States.”

Esmail Baghaei, the spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, also mentioned on Sunday that arrangements were underway for the return of these 55 individuals to Iran.

According to U.S. authorities, the deportations were carried out due to “legal reasons and breaches of immigration regulations,” Baghaei explained.

The U.S. government did not immediately acknowledge the deportation flight and it wasn’t clear whether the plane had arrived yet in Tehran. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press early Monday.

The deportations represent a collision of a top priority of President Donald Trump — targeting illegal immigration — against a decades-long practice by the U.S. of welcoming Iranian dissidents, exiles and others since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

In September, Iranian officials acknowledged as many as 400 Iranians could be returned under the Trump administration policy. That month, the first such flight arrived in Tehran.

In the lead up to and after the 1979 revolution, a large number of Iranians fled to the U.S. In the decades since, the U.S. had been sensitive in allowing those fleeing from Iran over religious, sexual or political persecution to seek residency. Iran has maintained only those facing criminal charges face prosecution, while others can travel freely. However, Tehran has detained Westerns and others with ties abroad in the past to be exchanged in prisoner swaps.

Iran has criticized Washington for hosting dissidents and others in the past. U.S. federal prosecutors have accused Iran of hiring hitmen to target dissidents as well in America.

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Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.