Iran says 120 of its nationals are being deported from the US, as part of President Donald Trump's crackdown on immigration.
These individuals will return to the country within the next one or two days, Iranian foreign ministry official Hossein Noushabadi told Iran's Tasnim state news agency.
He said most of those being flown to Iran, via Qatar, had entered the US illegally - mainly through Mexico.
There has been an increased number of Iranians entering the US in recent years, including many who fear persecution at home.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson stated: The Trump administration is committed to fulfilling President Trump's promise to carry out the largest mass deportation operation of illegal aliens in history, using all the tools at our disposal.
Noushabadi mentioned that some deportees had valid US residency permits, asserting that US officials had sought their consent for their return.
He called on the US government to respect the rights of Iranian migrants and their citizenship rights under international law. According to the New York Times, the flight of deportees was expected to arrive in Iran later on Tuesday.
Iran has been working with the US on a deal to facilitate the return of its nationals through its US Interests Section at the Pakistani embassy in Tehran.
This cooperation is noteworthy since Iran and the US have no formal diplomatic ties.
Noushabadi noted that around 400 Iranian nationals are expected to be deported from the US, with this flight being considered the first phase.
The US has already reached deportation agreements with several other countries.
Earlier this year, Panama and Costa Rica agreed to take in several hundred African and Asian migrants from the US.
President Trump has repeatedly pledged to cut the flow of immigration to the US and plans to deport a record number of individuals living in the country without legal status, including to countries with controversial human rights records.
His plans have faced fierce criticism from human rights groups, who raise concerns about the safety of migrants potentially being sent to nations where they could face harm.
In Iran, the government’s human rights practices have also come under scrutiny this year, including increased use of the death penalty, which has been criticized by rights organizations and UN experts.
The Iranian government defends its use of the death penalty as being reserved for the most severe crimes; however, rights advocates contest this assertion.
