What’s Behind the Recent Deportation of Iranians from the US?
Deportation Flights from the US to Iran
Tehran: Iranian authorities have confirmed that a second flight transporting Iranians deported from the United States has departed, amid reports that Washington intends to return hundreds of prisoners to Iran.
These deportations occur against a backdrop of heightened tensions between Iran and the US, particularly following American airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities during the recent conflict with Israel.
Activists outside Iran have raised alarms regarding the safety of those being sent back, as the Iranian government has intensified its crackdown on dissent, leading to a significant rise in executions.
According to a report from Mizan news agency, which is affiliated with Iran's judiciary, Mojtaba Shasti Karimi from the Foreign Ministry confirmed that 55 Iranians were deported.
Karimi stated, “These individuals expressed their desire to return due to the ongoing discriminatory immigration policies against foreigners, especially Iranians, by the US.”
Esmail Baghaei, a spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, also mentioned plans for the return of 55 Iranians to their homeland.
The US has claimed that these deportations were due to legal issues and violations of immigration laws.
However, the US government has not publicly acknowledged the flight, and it remains unclear if it has landed in Tehran. Requests for comments from the Department of Homeland Security and State Department went unanswered.
This situation highlights a clash between President Trump's focus on curbing illegal immigration and the US's historical practice of providing refuge to Iranian dissidents since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
In September, Iranian officials indicated that up to 400 Iranians might be repatriated under the current administration's policies, with the first flight arriving in Tehran that month.
Following the 1979 revolution, many Iranians sought asylum in the US, which has generally been accommodating to those fleeing persecution based on religion, sexual orientation, or political beliefs.
While Iran asserts that only individuals with criminal charges will face prosecution, it has previously detained Westerners and others with foreign connections for potential prisoner exchanges.
Iran has criticized the US for sheltering dissidents and has faced accusations from US federal prosecutors of employing hitmen to target these individuals within America.