US deports around 100 Iranians to Tehran under bilateral deal: Report

ISTANBUL

The Trump administration is deporting about 100 Iranians from the US to Iran under a deal reached between the two governments, The New York Times reported Tuesday.

Citing senior Iranian and US officials, the report said a US-chartered flight carrying deportees departed from the US state of Louisiana Monday night and is expected to reach Iran via Qatar on Tuesday.

A US official confirmed that plans for the flight were in the final stages.

Two officials said the deportees include men, women, and some couples, with some volunteering after months in detention, while most had either been denied asylum or not had a hearing yet before a judge.

Iranian officials described the deportation as a rare instance of US-Iran cooperation after months of talks, with Iran’s Foreign Ministry coordinating the return and assuring deportees of their safety.

The US has long struggled to deport migrants to countries like Iran due to limited diplomatic ties and delays in obtaining travel documents, often resulting in prolonged detention or release.

In 2024, the US deported just over two dozen Iranians, the highest number in years, via several commercial flights.