Deportation flight carried out on Jan. 26 with fourteen Iranians The Trump administration dispatched a plane on Sunday that returned 14 Iranian nationals to Tehran, marking the third deportation under a limited U.S.–Iran agreement and the first since the anti‑government protests erupted in late December [1]. Officials said all passengers held Executable Final Orders from federal courts, a legal basis the administration cites for the “largest mass deportation of criminal illegal aliens in history” [1][2]. The flight follows a previously announced plan for a Sunday deportation, confirming the operation proceeded as scheduled [2].

Protest crackdown has produced a high death toll and mass arrests Iran’s state‑run news agency HRANA reported at least 5,520 protesters killed, including 77 minors, and 41,283 arrests since the demonstrations began [1]. The figures underscore the severity of the crackdown that prompted the U.S. to resume deportations despite lacking formal diplomatic ties with Tehran [1]. Both outlets note that the protests started in late December and have continued unabated.

Two gay detainees excluded from the flight face execution risk Lawyer Bekah Wolf said two men arrested for homosexuality were placed in quarantine after a measles case and missed the flight, leaving them vulnerable to the death penalty if returned to Iran [1][2]. One detainee’s partner, confined to a wheelchair, has lost roughly 40 pounds and suffers from severe medical neglect while in ICE custody [2]. Wolf warned that both men face an “extremely high chance” of execution by hanging upon deportation [1][2].

President Trump issues retaliation warnings and keeps military options open In remarks aboard Air Force One, Trump warned Iran of retaliation if it executes demonstrators and said a naval flotilla is moving toward Iranian waters, refusing to rule out military action [1][2]. The president’s statements link the deportation operation to broader pressure tactics aimed at Tehran’s security apparatus [1][2]. No concrete military steps have been announced, but the threat remains part of the administration’s public posture.

Timeline discrepancy between planning and execution reports The Jan. 23 article described a planned deportation flight, while the Jan. 26 piece confirmed the flight’s completion with 14 deportees [2][1]. This progression illustrates the rapid shift from intent to action within a three‑day window, highlighting the administration’s swift implementation once the flight was authorized.