US Returns Iranians; Tehran Disputes Numbers

Iranian officials say the United States has begun returning Iranians on a U.S.-chartered flight that left Louisiana and was expected to transit Qatar en route to Iran, with reports putting the first planeload at about 100–120 people while Tehran says up to 400 could ultimately be deported. U.S. officials and the White House have not formally confirmed the arrangement, but the White House framed the action as part of fulfilling a pledge to carry out large-scale deportations amid the Trump administration’s broader immigration crackdown. Those aboard included men and women held in U.S. detention centers—some who reportedly volunteered after months in detention and others who had been denied asylum or had pending hearings—and Iran’s foreign ministry said some returnees held residency permits and has urged protections and assurances they will be safe on arrival. Human-rights advocates criticized the deportation campaign and pointed to earlier U.S. expulsions of Iranians to third countries and ongoing legal challenges, and exact numbers and individual case details remain disputed.