US to Deport 120 Iranians Soon Amid Diplomatic Talks

State media in Iran later report that the United States plans to deport about 120 Iranians over the next two days, returning them to Iran. The information is provided citing an official spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

According to Hossein Nushabadi, head of consular affairs at the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the overwhelming majority of those deported entered the United States illegally through Mexico. He said the deportation will be followed by a return via Qatar.

The official spokesperson emphasized that the Iranian government has urged the United States to “be sensitive to upholding the rights of Iranian immigrants.” Iran has an “Office for the Protection of Iranian Interests” at the Pakistani embassy in Washington.

The New York Times first reported that the Trump administration would deport “about 100” Iranians after an agreement was reached between the US and Iranian governments. The Times cites two senior Iranian officials involved in the negotiations and an American official well acquainted with the plans.

Context and Details

According to Nushabadi, the group is among about 400 Iranians who “entered the United States largely illegally” and are subject to deportation. The official spokesperson also stated that some of those deported hold valid residence permits in the United States, while discussions about deportation had been on the agenda for several months.

Nushabadi noted that the group left Iran legally, and the return would not pose problems.

“The group left Iran legally, and returning will not pose problems.”

“How they entered the United States is another matter, but they left Iran legally. There are no obstacles to their return to their homeland, but Iran stands by its citizens.”

CNN contacted the Iranian government asking for comment on this information. In context, experts note that similar steps in migration policy often require careful adherence to human rights and diplomatic dialogue between countries. Changes in the procedure for returning citizens abroad underscore the sensitivity and geopolitical complexity of this issue.