US federal agents have arrested the niece and grandniece of the late Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani after the Trump administration’s top diplomat, Marco Rubio, revoked their lawful permanent resident status, officials said on Saturday. “Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter are now in the custody of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” or ICE, the state department said in a statement. The statement about Soleimani Afshar further claims she voiced “unflinching support” for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) – all while maintaining a “lavish” lifestyle in Los Angeles, with US officials pointing at her Instagram account as evidence. Both Ardeshir-Larijani and Motamedi have since departed the US and are under a permanent entry ban, according to the state department. Iran’s senior officials and military commanders had vowed to avenge Suleimani’s killing.

Source: The Guardian April 04, 2026 16:46 UTC