The United States has revoked the lawful permanent resident status of several foreign nationals with close ties to the Iranian regime, including relatives of the late Major General Qasem Soleimani of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which has been designated as a terrorist organisation by the USA.
In a statement released today, the US State Department announced that Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, niece of the deceased IRGC commander, and her daughter had their green cards terminated by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The pair were arrested by federal agents last night and are now in the custody of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), pending removal from the country.
According to the department, Soleimani Afshar, who lived a lavish lifestyle in Los Angeles, openly promoted Iranian regime propaganda while in the United States. She is reported to have celebrated attacks on American soldiers and military facilities in the Middle East, praised the new Iranian Supreme Leader, denounced America as the “Great Satan”, and expressed strong support for the IRGC. Her Instagram account, which featured such content, has since been deleted.
Secretary Rubio posted the announcement on X, stating,: “Until recently, Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter were green card holders living lavishly in the United States. Afshar is the niece of deceased Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani. She is also an outspoken supporter of the Iranian regime who celebrated attacks on Americans and referred to our country as the ‘Great Satan.’ This week, I terminated both Afshar and her daughter’s legal status and they are now in ICE custody, pending removal from the United States.”
Until recently, Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter were green card holders living lavishly in the United States.
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) April 4, 2026
Afshar is the niece of deceased Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani. She is also an outspoken supporter of the Iranian regime who celebrated attacks on…
“The Trump Administration will not allow our country to become a home for foreign nationals who support anti-American terrorist regimes,” Rubio added.
In addition to the terminations, Soleimani Afshar’s husband has been barred from entering the United States. The State Department expressed gratitude to the Department of Homeland Security and ICE for their collaboration.
Qasem Soleimani, who led the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, was killed in a drone strike ordered by President Trump near the Baghdad International Airport in Iraq in 2020.
The action follows an earlier decision this month to revoke the legal status of Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani, daughter of former Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani, and her husband Seyed Kalantar Motamedi. Both individuals have already left the US and are prohibited from future entry.
The moves mark a significant escalation in efforts to prevent individuals linked to the Iranian government and its proxies from residing in the United States. No immediate comment has been received from the Iranian government or the affected families.
