Iran has confirmed that a second group of its citizens, numbering over fifty, is set to return from the United States. This move comes as the administration of President Donald Trump continues to enforce stringent immigration measures.
Official Announcement and Details of Return
During his weekly press conference on Sunday, the spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry, Esmaeil Baqaei, made the announcement. He stated that "in the coming days, around 50 to 55 Iranian nationals will return." Baqaei clarified that this marks the second such repatriation in recent months.
According to international media reports, including CNN, the group was anticipated to arrive in Iran later on Sunday. Their journey included a stopover in Kuwait before reaching their final destination.
Iran's Criticism of US Immigration Policies
In his remarks, the Iranian spokesperson strongly condemned the United States' approach. He labeled the American actions as "racist actions against foreign nationals -- particularly citizens of our region, and especially Iranians."
Baqaei elaborated further, asserting that the pressures faced by Iranians in the US were politically motivated. "These anti-immigration policies conflict with human rights laws," he added, highlighting Tehran's official stance on the matter.
The official explained that the returning individuals, under significant pressure from US authorities, had approached the Iranian Interests Section in Washington. There, they expressed their desire to go back to their homeland. "Our Interests Section has facilitated this process," Baqaei noted. Iran and the US lack formal diplomatic ties, but Tehran operates an office within the Pakistani embassy in Washington to handle consular affairs.
Broader Context of US Immigration Crackdown
This development occurs against the backdrop of a wider US immigration crackdown. Earlier in the week, American authorities paused green card and citizenship processing for nationals from 19 countries. Iran is among these nations, which were already subject to travel restrictions announced in June.
This is not an isolated incident. Back in September, Iran reported that 120 of its nationals had been deported from the United States under Trump's policies. Hossein Noushabadi, an official from the foreign ministry's consular affairs department, shared this information with the Tasnim news agency.
Noushabadi also revealed a more alarming figure at the time, stating that "the US immigration service has decided to deport around 400 Iranians currently in the United States, most of them after entering illegally." The return of this latest group appears to be part of this ongoing enforcement action.
