S. S. Department of State.
S. on Friday, the department said. The individuals' permanent residency was revoked by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Those arrested include the grand-niece of Qasem Soleimani, Sarinasadat Hosseiny, and her mother, Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, who were taken into custody in Los Angeles. S. in 2015 on a student visa and received permanent residency in 2023 during the Biden administration.
S. on a tourist visa in 2015, was granted asylum in 2019, and received a green card in 2021, but the Department of Homeland Security said her asylum claim was fraudulent. S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to multiple sources. S. Department of State, Soleimani Afshar has been an outspoken supporter of Iran’s totalitarian regime while residing in the United States.
S. S. and being active in spreading Iranian propaganda.
-designated terror organization, the State Department said. In a separate development, federal agents have arrested three Iranian nationals in Los Angeles, according to major media reports. Seyed Eissa Hashemi, his wife Maryam Tahmasebi, and their son had their green cards terminated and are in ICE custody pending removal, the reports indicate.
Eissa Hashemi is the son of Masoumeh Ebtekar, who served as a spokesperson during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis and later as a vice president of Iran, according to major media reports. S. in 2014 and received green cards through the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program in June 2016, the same sources said.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry states that the arrested Iranian citizens are not relatives of Qasem Soleimani. S. , according to major media reports.
, officials said. This action is part of a broader initiative under Secretary Rubio targeting individuals linked to the Iranian regime, including earlier revocations for Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani and her husband, according to research sources. The arrests are part of a broader crackdown on people with alleged links to Iran.
Conflicting reports have created uncertainty about the exact number of individuals arrested and their identities. Some accounts describe two relatives of Soleimani, while others mention three Iranian nationals with no stated Soleimani link, making it unclear how many people were detained and for what reasons. Additionally, the specific evidence or documentation linking the arrested individuals to the Iranian regime has not been disclosed, and the legal basis and process for revoking permanent residency in these cases are not detailed.
S. government to the Iranian Foreign Ministry's denial of familial relations has not been reported, leaving a key diplomatic point unresolved. With their residency permits terminated, the niece and grandniece now find themselves in the immigration system, according to research sources.
Immigration authorities have not yet released details on potential deportation proceedings, but the women remain in ICE custody, the same sources indicate. Afshar’s husband has been barred from entering the United States, according to research sources. The State Department has made allegations of their alignment with Iran's government, reflecting a continued stance against anti-American affiliations, the department said.
Relations between the US and Iran have further deteriorated since Soleimani's death, according to research sources.