The United States government has revoked Green Cards for two family members of the deceased Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Major General Qasem Soleimani, the State Department has confirmed.
This comes as tensions rise over the US-Iran war, which enters its sixth week.
Solemani’s niece, Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter were arrested by federal agents on Friday night and taken into custody of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
A spokesperson said, in a media statement, that Secretary of State Marco Rubio terminated their lawful permanent resident (LPR) status for being “an outspoken supporter of the totalitarian, terrorist regime in Iran”.
“While living in the United States, she promoted Iranian regime propaganda, celebrated attacks against American soldiers and military facilities in the Middle East, praised the new Iranian Supreme Leader, denounced America as the “Great Satan,” and voiced her unflinching support for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps,” read the statement.
“Afshar Soleimani pushed this propaganda for Iran’s terrorist regime while enjoying a lavish lifestyle in Los Angeles, as attested to by her frequent posting on her recently deleted Instagram account.”
Also sanctioned is her husband, who has been barred from entering the US.
This comes just days after Secretary Rubio also terminated the legal status of Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani, daughter of former Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran Ali Larijani, and her husband Seyed Kalantar Motamedi.
Both Ardeshir-Larijani and Motamedi are no longer in the United States and are barred from future entry.
