US says it has arrested relatives of late Iranian general Qasem Soleimani
US Announces Arrests of Iranian General’s Relatives
The U.S. State Department confirmed the detention of Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter, relatives of Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the late commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps. The two women, who were previously granted lawful permanent resident status in the United States, had their residency revoked by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to a statement released on Saturday.
Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, the daughter of Soleimani, has disputed the U.S. claims, asserting that the arrested individuals have no ties to her father. In a social media post, Rubio stated that the women were in the care of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), awaiting deportation. He also noted that Soleimani Afshar and her daughter were “green card holders living lavishly in the United States.”
The State Department described Soleimani Afshar as a “prominent advocate for the Iranian regime’s authoritarian and terrorist policies,” highlighting her role in spreading regime propaganda through social media. Her husband was also barred from entering the U.S., though his name was not disclosed in the official statement.
Legacy of a Key Military Figure
Gen. Qasem Soleimani, who died in 2020 during a U.S. air strike at Baghdad International Airport, was a pivotal leader in Iran’s Quds Force, directing military operations across the Middle East. The strike, ordered by then-President Donald Trump, eliminated Soleimani along with several other Iran-backed militia leaders.
“The individuals arrested in the U.S. have no connection whatsoever to Martyr Soleimani,” said Narjes Soleimani, his daughter. “The claims made by the U.S. State Department are false.”
“I killed Gen. Qasem Soleimani in my first term. He was an evil genius, brilliant person, a horrible human being—however, the father of the roadside bomb, and he lived just horrible, what he did,” Trump remarked during a national address. He suggested Iran might have been “perhaps in a far better, stronger position” in the ongoing conflict if Soleimani were still alive.
Trump’s remarks framed Soleimani as a key figure in Iran’s aggression, emphasizing his role in escalating tensions through military actions. The arrests of his relatives have reignited debates over the U.S. government’s stance on Iran and its perceived ties to terrorism.
