The United States has arrested relatives of former Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani, according to an official statement from the U.S. Department of State.
Reports, citing BBC, say Soleimani’s niece, Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, and her daughter have been taken into custody. On Saturday (April 4), US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that their lawful permanent resident status—commonly known as green cards—has been revoked.
In a post on social media platform X, Rubio stated that both individuals are currently in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and deportation proceedings are ongoing.
The State Department alleged that Afshar has been a vocal supporter of Iran’s ruling system and has promoted its narratives on social media. Authorities have also imposed a travel ban on her husband, barring him from entering the United States, although his identity has not been disclosed.
Qasem Soleimani, a former head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force, was killed in a US drone strike in 2020 ordered by then-President Donald Trump.
The development comes at a time of escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran, with both sides engaged in heightened rhetoric and strategic confrontation in the Middle East.
