Immigration and Customs Enforcement communicated and coordinated with Iranian officials regarding deportation flights as recently as the month before the launch of Operation Epic Fury, according to a report.
The United States sent three deportation flights to Iran from September to January, a period that included the largest outbreak of protests in the Islamic Republic’s history, which ended with the massacre of tens of thousands. The crackdown set off a chain of events leading to the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran on Feb. 28, but as late as January, ICE was still communicating with Iranian officials to coordinate the deportation flights, according to records obtained by the National Iranian American Council.
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Internal emails obtained through the group’s Freedom of Information Act request showed ICE officials detailing their communications with Iranian representatives, including an August 2025 email showing that a representative had requested more deportees be added to the first flight, the Associated Press reported.
“Per request from the Iran Embassy I added a few cases,” an ICE official wrote.
The official was referring to Iran’s Interests Section at the Pakistani Embassy, as Iran doesn’t have a U.S. Embassy; its affairs are instead handled by the Pakistani Embassy.
“Iran has requested that I amend the previous manifest and expedite the removal process,” another ICE official said later.
The NIAC said the records showed that ICE facilitated visits by Iran’s Interests Section director to Iranian detainees.
Other records detailed an issue with the first Sept. 30 flight, when an ICE official divulged that someone not included on the final flight manifest was put on the flight.
“I have no idea how the case/person got through on the plane,” another official responded.
Deportations to Iran have been controversial due to the repressive nature of the government and fears of persecution, a fear many of the deportees cited in an attempt to stay.
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ICE deferred to the Department of Homeland Security when reached for comment.
The U.S. broke off all direct contact with Iran after the war started, a month after the last deportation flight, communicating since through intermediaries such as Pakistan and Qatar.
