US Authorities Detain Family Members of Late Iranian General Qasem Soleimani

Sat Apr 04 2026 19:55:54 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The niece and grand-niece of the late Iranian commander, Gen Qasem Soleimani, have been arrested by US authorities. The State Department cites their affiliations with the Iranian regime as grounds for their detention.

Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter have been arrested in the United States after the Secretary of State revoked their residency based on their support for Iran's regime. This follows the controversial killing of her uncle, Gen Qasem Soleimani, by a US drone strike in 2020. The State Department has criticized Soleimani Afshar for promoting Iranian propaganda on social media. The case has drawn attention to US immigration policies regarding individuals with ties to foreign regimes deemed hostile.

US Authorities Detain Family Members of Late Iranian General Qasem Soleimani

The niece and grand-niece of the deceased commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, Gen Qasem Soleimani, have been arrested, the State Department has announced.

Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter's lawful US permanent resident status was revoked by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as reported on Saturday.

In a post on social media, Rubio confirmed that the two women were in the custody of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and were pending removal from the country.

Gen Soleimani, a key military figure for Iran, was killed in 2020 in a US air strike in Iraq, ordered by former US President Donald Trump.

The State Department characterized Soleimani Afshar as an outspoken supporter of the totalitarian, terrorist regime in Iran and accused her of promoting Iranian regime propaganda on her social media accounts. Additionally, her husband has also been barred from entering the US.

Rubio highlighted that Soleimani Afshar and her daughter were living in the US lavishly despite their controversial ties, stating their green card status was terminated due to their affiliations.

Gen Qasem Soleimani was a pivotal figure in Iranian military actions in the Middle East as the leader of the elite Quds Force and was killed alongside other Iranian militia figures at Baghdad airport.

During a recent address, Trump referred to Soleimani as an evil genius, acknowledging the complexity of his legacy while asserting the necessity of removing him from power due to his actions.