Amid rising fears of renewed fighting and despite intensive diplomatic efforts to contain the escalation, confidential court documents have revealed that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump held secret talks with Iran regarding the deportation of Iranian citizens.
In mid-October, the Republican administration confirmed its intention to deport Iranians through an undisclosed third country, according to a report published by the Associated Press.
The timing for carrying out the deportations remains unclear.
Judge Anna Reyes ordered the government to notify the court 24 hours before any final deportation plans are approved, with written notice provided five days before they are carried out.
The documents also reveal continued communications between the Trump administration and Iranian officials during the war, particularly regarding travel documents and methods for implementing the deportations.
During an October 15 session, Judge Anna Reyes stated: "We are in a state of war with a country described by the President of the United States as largely lawless and an enemy of the United States, a country that has killed tens of thousands of protesters."
She added: "Returning people to that region poses a serious threat of certain death."
U.S. Department of Justice attorney Dimitar Georgiev-Raymel responded: "The government is executing legal deportation orders."
The lawsuit accuses U.S. immigration agencies of sharing confidential information about Iranian asylum seekers with the Iranian government, potentially endangering their lives.
Coordination between both sides continued during the war, including a coordinated campaign to identify detained Iranians and pressure them to return to Iran.
This coordination marks a significant shift in relations between the two countries, which have experienced decades of diplomatic hostility.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security denied sharing asylum application records with the Iranian government.
However, hundreds of emails between U.S. immigration officials revealed cooperation to arrange the return of more than 100 Iranians to their country on three deportation flights during September, December 2025, and January 2026.
Deportations of Iranians to their country have historically been rare due to the absence of diplomatic relations and concerns over the human rights crises deportees may face.
The Trump administration therefore resorted to deporting some individuals, including Iranians, to third countries to circumvent diplomatic obstacles with governments that refuse to receive their citizens.
