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3. U.S. Arrests Relatives of Qassem Soleimani for Supporting Iran’s Regime

Two relatives of slain Iranian General Qassem Soleimani have been arrested in the United States after their legal residency status was revoked, the U.S. State Department confirmed on Saturday.

In a statement, the department identified one of the individuals as Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, Soleimani’s niece, describing her as an “outspoken” supporter of the Iranian government.

Her daughter, whose name was not disclosed, was also taken into custody. Both are currently being held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), though officials did not specify their location.

According to the statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered the termination of their lawful permanent resident status, leading to their arrest by federal agents. Authorities also barred Afshar’s husband from entering the United States.

The move follows a broader crackdown by the U.S. government on individuals linked to senior Iranian figures. Earlier this month, officials revoked the legal status and blocked entry of relatives of Ali Larijani, who was killed in recent hostilities involving the United States and Israel.

In its statement, the State Department accused Afshar of promoting Iranian government narratives while residing in the United States, including expressing support for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which Washington designates as a terrorist organization.

Soleimani, the longtime commander of the IRGC’s Quds Force, was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad in January 2020. He was widely seen as a central figure in coordinating Iran’s network of regional allies and proxy groups across the Middle East.