The United States has deported 55 Iranian nationals as part of a recent removal operation carried out under President Donald Trump’s renewed immigration enforcement agenda, according to statements from Iranian officials and international news reports. The latest deportations follow months of stepped-up efforts targeting foreign nationals who have remained in the country unlawfully or violated the terms of their visas.
Iran’s judiciary-linked Mizan news agency first reported the removals, quoting Foreign Ministry official Mojtaba Shasti Karimi. He acknowledged that dozens of Iranians had been returned and claimed the individuals “announced their willingness for return” following what he described as continued U.S. immigration enforcement actions directed at foreign nationals, including Iranians. Iranian officials added that this is the second group of citizens repatriated in recent months.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told Reuters that roughly 55 nationals will arrive in Iran in the coming days after completing a multi-leg transfer flight. According to Iranian media, the individuals departed the United States on a deportation flight that included passengers from several countries. After an expected stop in Cairo—where Arab and Russian nationals will disembark—the Iranians will continue to Kuwait before boarding a Kuwait Airways charter to Tehran.
U.S. officials, speaking to The New York Times, described Sunday’s deportation flight as part of a routine removal operation and confirmed that the passengers included individuals of multiple nationalities. Federal authorities have not commented further on the immigration histories of those removed or the circumstances of their cases.
The deportations come as the Trump administration continues its broader immigration enforcement initiatives, which prioritize identifying and removing foreign nationals who lack legal status or have violated federal immigration laws. Those efforts include expanded cooperation between federal agencies, targeted enforcement actions, and measures aimed at ensuring compliance among visa holders.
Iranian state media’s acknowledgment of the removals underscores an ongoing pattern in which foreign governments publicly confirm U.S. deportations after the individuals arrive in regional transit hubs. DHS officials have said in recent months that deportation operations involving Iranian nationals are carried out in accordance with standard removal procedures and international travel protocols.
More deportations of Iranian citizens may follow, as Iranian officials reiterated that additional groups are expected to be returned in the near future.
