US Authorities Arrest Relatives of Slain Iranian Commander in Los Angeles
Federal agents in the United States have detained the niece and grandniece of the late Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani, who were residing in Los Angeles. The arrests occurred after the Trump administration's top diplomat, Marco Rubio, revoked their lawful permanent resident status, officials confirmed on Saturday.
"Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter are now in the custody of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)," the state department announced in an official statement. Rubio, the US secretary of state, further confirmed via social media that the mother-daughter pair are "pending removal" from the country.
Background and Allegations
This development follows the initiation of military actions by the US and Israel against Iran in late February, partly justified by Iran's historical sponsorship of terrorism. The Trump administration has actively sought to revoke the legal immigration status of individuals deemed aligned with US adversaries.
Rubio's statement emphasized, "We will not allow our country to become a home for foreign nationals who support anti-American terrorist regimes." Officials allege that Soleimani Afshar celebrated military strikes targeting American personnel and praised Iran's new supreme leader after the US and Israel eliminated his predecessor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a large-scale air assault at the war's outset.
Additionally, she is accused of referring to the US as the "Great Satan" and expressing "unflinching support" for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Authorities highlighted her "lavish" lifestyle in Los Angeles, citing her Instagram account as evidence.
Expanded Immigration Actions
Beyond revoking the green card status of Soleimani Afshar and her daughter, her husband has been formally barred from entering the US. This move aligns with other recent actions by Rubio, including terminating the legal status of Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani—daughter of Ali Larijani, former secretary of Iran's supreme national security council—and her husband, Seyed Kalantar Motamedi. Both have since left the US and face permanent entry bans.
In early December, prior to the war's commencement and anti-government protests in Iran, the US state department revoked or declined to renew visas for several Iranian diplomats, including Iran's deputy ambassador and UN mission staffers.
Legacy of Qassem Soleimani
Soleimani Afshar's father, Qassem Soleimani (also spelled Quassem Suleimani), was killed in a US drone strike in Baghdad in January 2020 at age 62 during Donald Trump's first presidency. Widely regarded as Iran's most powerful figure after Khamenei and its most influential military leader, Soleimani commanded the elite Quds (Jerusalem) force of the IRGC, a cornerstone of Iran's security apparatus.
Iranian officials have repeatedly vowed to avenge his death. In early 2023, then-President Ebrahim Raisi declared in Tehran, "We have not and will not forget the blood of martyr Soleimani." Raisi, who died in a 2024 helicopter crash, added, "The Americans must know that revenge for martyr Soleimani's blood is certain, and the murderers and perpetrators will have no easy sleep."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
