ICE Arrests Grand-Niece of Iranian Warlord Qasem Soleimani in Los Angeles
The grand-niece of the late Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani was apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Los Angeles after her permanent resident status in the United States was revoked. Sarinasadat Hosseiny, 25, and her mother, Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, were taken into custody following the revocation of their green cards by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, citing connections to the Iranian government.
Glamorous Lifestyle Contrasts with Family Ties
Hosseiny had been residing in the United States since 2015, initially entering on a student visa before obtaining permanent residency during the Biden administration in 2023. Despite her family's associations with the Iranian regime, her social media profiles depicted a lavish lifestyle starkly at odds with Iranian norms. Posts showcased her traveling extensively across the United States, visiting destinations such as Miami, Las Vegas, and Alaska, while enjoying music festivals and displaying a carefree demeanor.
Additional images revealed her aboard private aircraft and yachts, wearing attire like bikinis and miniskirts that are prohibited under Iranian law. Meanwhile, her mother, while living in California, referred to America as the 'Great Satan' in social media posts and expressed support for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), an organization designated as a terrorist group by the U.S. State Department.
Background on Qasem Soleimani and Broader Crackdown
Qasem Soleimani commanded Iran's elite Quds Force, a division of the IRGC, and was considered the nation's most influential military figure prior to his death in a U.S. drone strike in 2020. Former President Donald Trump recently referenced the killing, describing Soleimani as 'an evil genius' and suggesting Iran would be in a stronger position in current conflicts if he were still alive.
The arrests are part of a wider U.S. effort to target individuals with alleged links to Iran. Soleimani Afshar first entered the U.S. on a tourist visa in 2015, was granted asylum in 2019, and received a green card in 2021. However, the Department of Homeland Security has declared her asylum claim fraudulent. The IRGC, which her mother is accused of supporting, was officially labeled a foreign terrorist organization by the United States in 2019.
Denials and Legal Proceedings
Narjes Soleimani, the daughter of the former commander, has publicly stated that the two women 'have no connection whatsoever' to her father and has accused Washington of fabricating the allegations. Both women had their green cards revoked just hours before ICE agents arrested them in Los Angeles on Friday, underscoring the swift legal actions taken in this high-profile case.
