05.04.2026 13:30
The U.S. detained Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, the niece of Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani who was killed in a assassination ordered by Trump, by canceling her and her daughter's green card on national security grounds. It was announced that the mother and daughter, who were placed under investigation due to social media posts, are being held under ICE supervision and that the deportation process is ongoing.
The U.S. Department of State detained Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, the niece of Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani, by canceling her and her daughter's green cards.
DETAINED BY ICE UNIT
U.S. federal authorities announced that Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter were detained by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) unit following the cancellation of their legal permanent resident statuses (green cards).
It was stated that Afshar and her daughter, who are reported to live in Los Angeles, were under investigation for sharing content supporting the Iranian regime on their social media accounts.
According to the decision made by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the mother and daughter had their residency permits revoked and were captured by federal agents, and it was reported that they are still under ICE supervision.
ACTION TAKEN FOR NATIONAL SECURITY REASONS
The ministry's statement emphasized that the decision was made within the framework of U.S. national security policies. Officials stated that Afshar had made posts supporting the Iranian regime, and for this reason, her status was terminated.
U.S. authorities noted that the deportation process for the two individuals is ongoing, but details regarding the process have not yet been shared.
STEP TAKEN UNDER THE SHADOW OF TENSION
The detention order came during a period of ongoing tension between the U.S. and Iran. Hamideh Soleimani Afshar is known as the niece of Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. attack in Baghdad in 2020.
It is noteworthy that the Washington administration has recently increased the cancellations of immigration statuses and deportation processes for individuals connected to Iran.
WHO IS QASSEM SOLEIMANI?
Qassem Soleimani was one of Iran's most influential military and political figures.
Born in 1957, Soleimani served as the commander of the Quds Force, which is part of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The Quds Force is a special unit that manages Iran's military and intelligence operations abroad. Soleimani was known as the key figure behind operations that increased Iran's influence, particularly in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen.
Due to his connections with many armed groups and militias in the Middle East, he was described by the U.S. as "one of the key figures managing terrorist activities." In Iran, he was seen as a "national hero."
Qassem Soleimani was killed in a U.S. airstrike near Baghdad International Airport on January 3, 2020. This incident led to serious tensions between the U.S. and Iran and became one of the most critical developments that brought the two countries to the brink of war.