The United States has deported three former members of Iran's elite military force, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to rise. Ehsan Khaledi, Mohammad Mehrani, and Morteza Nasirikakolaki were among 14 Iranians sent back to Tehran on a deportation flight, the first since widespread anti-government protests in Iran led to a deadly crackdown. U.S. officials stated that all deportees had been ordered removed by federal judges, and noted the significance of the flight given ongoing concerns about human rights abuses in Iran. The deportation comes amid heightened military presence by the United States in the region and warnings to Iran over its response to domestic unrest.