A swift and decisive action unfolded Sunday as the Department of Homeland Security deported three Iranian nationals with ties to terrorism. These individuals – Ehsan Khaledi, Mohammad Mehrani, and Morteza Nasirikakolaki – were identified as former members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a group designated by the U.S. as a foreign terrorist organization.
The deportations occurred on a flight carrying 14 Iranians back to Tehran, marking the first such large-scale return since a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests ignited within the country. Each of the three deported individuals had entered the United States illegally, with two crossing the border in Southern California in 2024 and the third apprehended near San Luis, Arizona, in November of the same year.
White House officials emphasized that all deportees had been subject to final removal orders issued by federal judges, underscoring the legal basis for their expulsion. This action is part of a broader effort, initiated during the previous administration, to remove individuals posing national security threats from within U.S. borders.
Since the start of that earlier administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested approximately 1,400 individuals known or suspected of terrorist affiliations, alongside 7,400 gang members. This latest deportation flight, however, drew heightened scrutiny due to the perilous situation awaiting those returned to Iran.
Concerns mounted over the fate of two men scheduled for deportation who identified as gay, with their legal counsel warning of an almost certain execution upon their return. Fortunately, a last-minute measles exposure led to their quarantine and removal from the flight, temporarily shielding them from immediate danger.
This deportation represents the third instance of Iranian nationals being returned to their home country since September 2025, with previous flights carrying an estimated 55 or more individuals. The IRGC, to which the deported men once belonged, operates as an elite military force directly accountable to Iran’s Supreme Leader.
The U.S. government has long cited the IRGC’s extensive history of terrorist activity, its support for extremist groups like Hezbollah and Hamas, and its documented plots against American interests as justification for its terrorist designation. Through its Quds Force, the IRGC actively funds, trains, and equips militant organizations, engaging in covert operations that destabilize the region.
Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have escalated dramatically in recent weeks, fueled by Iran’s violent suppression of nationwide protests. The possibility of military intervention has been publicly considered, with warnings issued to Tehran regarding further executions or mass killings.
Reports from the Human Rights Activists News Agency estimate that nearly 6,000 people have lost their lives since the protests began in early 2026. In response to the escalating crisis, the U.S. is bolstering its military presence in the region, including the deployment of the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group.
