U.S. federal agents have arrested the niece and grandniece of late Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani after their lawful permanent resident status was revoked by the administration of former President Donald Trump. According to officials, Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter are now in the custody of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In a statement, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that both individuals are awaiting deportation. Their arrest follows heightened tensions after the U.S. and Israeli militaries launched operations against Iran in late February, citing concerns including alleged support for terrorism.
The development comes amid a broader crackdown by U.S. authorities on foreign nationals believed to have links to governments considered hostile to the United States. Rubio stated that the administration “will not allow our country to become a home for foreign nationals who support anti-American terrorist regimes.” U.S. officials allege that Soleimani Afshar publicly praised attacks against American personnel and expressed support for Iran’s leadership, including comments made after the reported killing of Ali Khamenei. She is also accused of backing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) while living in Los Angeles.
Authorities cited her social media activity as part of the evidence.In addition to revoking the residency status of Soleimani Afshar and her daughter, officials said her husband has been barred from entering the U.S. The move follows similar actions against other Iranian-linked individuals, including Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani and her husband, Seyed Kalantar Motamedi, who have since left the country and are now permanently banned from re-entry.
Earlier measures by the State Department also included revoking or declining to renew visas for several Iranian diplomats assigned to the United Nations.Soleimani Afshar’s father, Qassem Soleimani, was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad in January 2020 during Trump’s first term. At the time, he was regarded as one of Iran’s most powerful figures and led the elite Quds Force of the IRGC. His death significantly escalated tensions between the U.S. and Iran. Iranian officials, including former president Ebrahim Raisi, had repeatedly vowed retaliation. Speaking in Tehran in 2023, Raisi said the country would not forget Soleimani’s killing and warned that those responsible would face consequences.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/
