April 4, 2026

The niece and grand-niece of the deceased commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, Gen Qasem Soleimani, have been arrested, the US state department has said.

Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter’s lawful US permanent resident status was revoked by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a statement released on Saturday said.

However, Soleimani’s daughter has called the state department’s claims false, saying the arrested individuals “have no connection whatsoever” to her father.

 

US ARRESTS NIECE AND GRAND-NIECE OF IRANIAN COMMANDER SOLEIMANI, REVOKES GREEN CARDS — Tensions skyrocket as the US cracks down on relatives of the powerful Iranian military leader killed by a US drone strike in 2020. Secretary of State Marco Rubio exposed Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter, accusing them of exploiting US residency to live lavishly, and ordered their removal. Soleimani’s own daughter denies any ties, but Washington doubles down, keeping the women in ICE custody amid a fraught geopolitical standoff that threatens to inflame US-Iran relations further.

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