UNIPA News(Washington D.C) April 05,2026-The United States federal authorities have detained Hamideh Soleimani Afsar, a niece of late Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) leader Major General Qassem Soleimani, along with her daughter.
According to the US State Department, the arrests took place on Friday following the revocation of their green cards (permanent residency permits). The information was made public on Saturday.
In an official statement, the State Department confirmed that Hamideh Soleimani Afsar and her daughter are currently in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). However, authorities did not disclose the exact location or circumstances of their arrest.
The statement further alleged that Hamideh had been living a “luxurious lifestyle” in Los Angeles, citing evidence from her recently deleted Instagram account.
“Based on media reports and her own social media statements, Hamideh Soleimani Afsar has been an outspoken supporter of Iran’s authoritarian and terrorist regime,” the statement said.
It also claimed that during her stay in the United States, she promoted the Iranian government, praised attacks on US military installations in the Middle East, expressed support for Iran’s new Supreme Leader, referred to the United States as the “Great Satan,” and showed unwavering support for the IRGC, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the US.
In addition to revoking her and her daughter’s green cards, the US has also imposed a ban on her husband from entering the country.
Qassem Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike near Baghdad International Airport in January 2020, during Donald Trump’s presidency.
Meanwhile, Iranian media, citing Soleimani’s daughter Narges Soleimani, reported on Saturday that no member of their family has ever lived in the United States. She also claimed that Soleimani had two nephews, not a niece.
Last week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also announced the revocation of immigration privileges, including green cards, of Ardeshir Larijani (daughter of former Iranian official Ali Larijani) and her husband Saeed Kalantar Motamedi. They are currently outside the US and will not be allowed to return.
Ali Larijani, a key architect of Iran’s security policy, was reportedly killed in a US-Israeli airstrike on March 17.
The US State Department stated that individuals who support “anti-American terrorist regimes” and pose a threat to national security will not be allowed to reside in the United States under the Trump administration.
Since beginning his second term, President Donald Trump has intensified actions against illegal immigration, describing such individuals as a “threat” to US national security.