Relatives of the late Gen. Soleimani have been arrested

WASHINGTON, Apr 4: The U.S. State Department has confirmed that the niece and grandniece of slain Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani are now in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), following the termination of their legal residency status.

According to officials, Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter were arrested after their green cards were revoked. The State Department cited Afshar’s public statements and social media activity, describing her as an outspoken supporter of Iran’s ruling establishment, which Washington labels a “totalitarian, terrorist regime.”

Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. drone strike in 2020, had led the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, a key arm of Iran’s military operations abroad. U.S. authorities also confirmed that Afshar’s husband has been barred from entering the country.

The case underscores ongoing tensions between Washington and Tehran, particularly over individuals linked—directly or indirectly to Iran’s political and military leadership.