1 month ago
US national agents person arrested nan niece and grandniece of nan precocious Iranian subject commandant Qassem Soleimani aft nan Trump administration’s apical diplomat, Marco Rubio, revoked their lawful imperishable resident status, officials said connected Saturday.
“Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her girl are now successful nan custody of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” aliases ICE, nan authorities section said successful a statement.
In his ain statement connected societal media, Rubio, nan US caput of state, confirmed that nan mother-daughter brace are “pending removal” from nan US, a improvement that came aft nan US and Israeli militaries began waging warfare connected Iran successful precocious February, successful portion citing an Iranian history of coercion sponsorship.
Saturday’s improvement pinch respect to Soleimani Afshar besides came arsenic nan Trump administration has sought to revoke nan ineligible migration statuses of group it has wished to beryllium aligned pinch enemies of nan US.
Rubio’s connection said that nan Trump management “will not let our state to go a location for overseas nationals who support anti-American violent regimes”.
Officials allege that Soleimani Afshar celebrated subject strikes against American unit and praised Iran’s caller ultimate leader aft nan US and Israel killed his predecessor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, successful a large-scale aerial onslaught astatine nan opening of nan war. They besides accused her of labeling nan US nan “Great Satan”.
The connection astir Soleimani Afshar further claims she voiced “unflinching support” for nan Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) – each while maintaining a “lavish” manner successful Los Angeles, pinch US officials pointing astatine her Instagram relationship arsenic evidence.
In summation to nan revocation of ineligible imperishable resident – aliases greenish paper – position for Soleimani Afshar and her daughter, her hubby has besides been formally prohibited from entering nan US, officials said.
The maneuvers announced connected Saturday followed a abstracted caller move by Rubio to terminate nan ineligible position of Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani – girl of Ali Larijani, nan erstwhile caput of Iran’s ultimate nationalist information assembly – and her husband, Seyed Kalantar Motamedi. Both Ardeshir-Larijani and Motamedi person since departed nan US and are nether a imperishable introduction ban, according to nan authorities department.
Soleimani Afshar’s begetter – whose sanction is besides spelled Quassem Suleimani – was killed successful a US drone onslaught successful Baghdad successful January 2020 astatine property 62 during Donald Trump’s first presidency. He was wide considered to beryllium nan astir powerful man successful Iran astatine nan clip aft Khamenei, and nan country’s astir influential subject figure.
His value was connected to his domiciled commanding nan elite Quds (Jerusalem) unit of nan IRGC, nan strongest authorities information entity successful nan theocratic authorities of Iran.
Iran’s elder officials and subject commanders had vowed to avenge Suleimani’s killing.
In early 2023, Iran’s president astatine nan time, Ebrahim Raisi, told an assemblage successful nan superior of Tehran: “We person not and will not hide nan humor of martyr Soleimani.”
Raisi, who died successful a 2024 chopper crash, besides said: “The Americans must cognize that revenge for martyr Soleimani’s humor is certain, and nan murderers and perpetrators will person nary easy sleep.”
