US authorities arrest relatives of Qasem Soleimani

US federal agents have arrested Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, the niece of the late Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani, and her daughter. The arrests followed a decision by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to revoke their permanent resident status, commonly known as green cards. According to the State Department, the detainees are currently under the custody of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). US officials alleged that Afshar supported the Islamic Republic, promoted regime propaganda, and praised attacks against American military personnel. Additionally, entry into the US has been banned for her husband. This action follows a similar move earlier in April, when Rubio revoked the legal status of Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani, the daughter of Ali Larijani, who reportedly left the United States after her residency permit was rescinded. Qasem Soleimani was killed in a 2020 US drone strike in Baghdad.