US members of Congress on Tuesday tabled the bipartisan Seized Iranian Arms Transfer Authorization (SEIZE Act), a measure designed to fast-track the transfer of confiscated Iranian weapons to unspecified US partners.
The legislation, introduced by Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), is co-led by Representatives Jefferson Shreve (IN-6), Jared Moskowitz (FL-23), and Rich McCormick (GA-7). In the Senate, companion legislation was introduced by Senators Ted Budd (R-NC) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ).
Currently, weapons intercepted by US Central Command often face a year-long legal review process before they can be distributed. The SEIZE Act seeks to cut through that delay, ensuring seized arms can be redirected swiftly to bolster America’s allies.
“Iran — the world’s largest state-sponsor of terror — continues to arm proxies that threaten American troops, our bases, and our allies. The SEIZE Act ensures that when these illegal weapons are intercepted, they help our allies who need them, instead of our adversaries,” said Rep. Gottheimer.
“Our bipartisan, bicameral legislation will cut through red tape, strengthen our strategic partnerships, keep Americans safe, and counter Iranian aggression.”
Rep. Jefferson Shreve described the bill as “commonsense legislation” that keeps weapons from “sitting idle” and instead puts them “where they belong: protecting America.”
“When the United States seizes illegal Iranian weapons, those weapons should be made available to support our security goals. The SEIZE Act makes sense and is a smart, bipartisan effort to ensure that these stockpiles are transferred quickly to trusted allies who are working every day to counter shared threats. This is a practical step that makes America, our servicemembers, and our partners safer,” said Rep. Jared Moskowitz.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, between May 2021 and January 2023, the US Navy intercepted shipments during maritime security operations in the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea that included more than 9,000 rifles, 284 machine guns, 194 rocket launchers, 70 anti-tank guided missiles and 700,000 rounds of ammunition. The arms were destined for the Iran-backed Houthi group in Yemen.
Supporters of the SEIZE Act argue that ensuring these weapons are quickly transferred strengthens strategic partnerships and enhances collective defense at a time of heightened tensions across the Middle East.
Citing two senior Iranian officials involved in the negotiations and a US official with knowledge of the plans, the report said a US-chartered flight took off from Louisiana on Monday night and was scheduled to arrive in Iran via Qatar on Tuesday.
The deportees, including men and women -- some couples -- were either long in detention or had asylum requests denied, Iranian officials told the Times. Some had volunteered to leave after months in US custody, while others had not yet appeared before a judge.
The deportation marked one of the most direct efforts yet by the Trump administration to remove migrants even to countries with severe human rights conditions, the Times said.
The Times described the deportation as a rare moment of cooperation between Washington and Tehran, after months of negotiations.
Iranian officials said the country’s foreign ministry was coordinating the deportees’ return and that they had been assured of their safety. Still, they said, many were disappointed and some frightened.
Iran confirms 120 nationals deported
Later on Tuesday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that 120 Iranian migrants are being deported from the United States and will return home in the coming days, saying they will receive full consular support.
Hossein Noushabadi, the ministry’s parliamentary director, told Tasnim news agency that US immigration authorities had decided to expel about 400 Iranians, mostly those who entered the country illegally, “with the first 120 to be deported soon, most of them having crossed through Mexico.”
“Some of those now returning even had residency permits, but the US authorities decided to include them in the list,” he said. “Their consent for repatriation has been obtained.”
Noushabadi said Iran had lodged diplomatic notes via the US Interests Sections in Tehran and Washington, urging Washington to respect the rights of Iranian migrants.
“We asked the US government to ensure Iranian migrants are not deprived of consular services, fair trial rights, and protections under international law,” he said.
He stressed that Tehran would support returnees. “Iran will definitely host its nationals who migrated for any reason,” Noushabadi said. “These people are Iranians, they left Iran legally, and there is no obstacle to their return.”
He added that if other Iranians on the US list are deported, they will also be accepted, and that the first group will arrive via Qatar within one to two days.
Earlier this year, groups of Iranians, including converts to Christianity who face possible persecution at home, were flown to Costa Rica and Panama. Advocates have challenged the flights in court.
For decades, the United States has provided refuge to Iranians fleeing persecution, including women’s rights activists, dissidents, journalists, lawyers, religious minorities and members of the LGBTQ community.
The Times added that the US has historically struggled to carry out deportations to Iran due to a lack of diplomatic ties and travel documents, deporting only about two dozen Iranians in 2024.
“Iran is the homeland of all Iranians, and our compatriots can freely return to their homeland and travel,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said in February in response to earlier deportations, calling US treatment of migrants “harsh and inhumane.”
The deportations follow a broader crackdown. In June, Fox News reported that more than 130 Iranian nationals were arrested across the United States in a nationwide enforcement operation, citing federal sources.
Officials said those detained included individuals with suspected ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Hezbollah, as well as people with criminal records for drugs, weapons, and domestic violence.
One former Iranian army sniper was arrested in Alabama, while another man in Minnesota admitted past ties to Hezbollah, Fox News said.
The deportation also comes amid Iran’s worsening domestic crisis, with the economy battered by inflation, currency depreciation, and power and water shortages. The reimposition of United Nations Security Council sanctions on Saturday is expected to intensify pressure.