US Arrests Hamideh Soleimani Afshar Over Iran Allegations

[Fatai Muiz]

The United States government has arrested Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, who is reported to be a relative of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani. According to officials, she and her daughter were taken into custody and may be deported from the United States. The US government said their permanent resident status, also known as a green card, has been revoked, and they are currently under immigration control while authorities prepare for their possible removal from the country.

The decision was announced by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said both women were living in the United States as green card holders. He explained that they are now in the custody of immigration authorities and will remain there until the deportation process is completed. The US government believes their stay in the country is no longer valid based on new findings about their background and activities.

According to the US Department of Homeland Security, Hamideh Soleimani Afshar entered the United States in 2015 using a tourist visa. She later applied for asylum in 2019 and was granted a green card in 2021. However, during her application for US citizenship in 2025, officials discovered that she had traveled to Iran several times after receiving asylum. The government claimed these trips raised serious concerns and suggested that her asylum claim may not have been genuine.

Her daughter, Sarinasadat Hosseiny, also entered the United States in 2015 on a student visa and later received asylum and permanent residency. US authorities stated that both individuals may have violated immigration rules, and they also accused Hamideh of supporting the Iranian government on social media. Officials described her as someone who promoted Iranian government propaganda, which contributed to the decision to revoke her residency status.

However, Narjes Soleimani, the daughter of Qasem Soleimani, rejected the US government's claims. She said the arrested women have no connection to her father and described the accusations as false. She also criticized the United States, accusing it of spreading lies and trying to damage the reputation of her father, who is considered a hero by many supporters in Iran.

Qasem Soleimani was the former head of Iran's Quds Force and played a major role in Iran's military operations in the Middle East before he was killed in a US airstrike in 2020. Former US President Donald Trump defended the action, describing Soleimani as a dangerous figure responsible for many violent attacks. The situation surrounding Hamideh Soleimani Afshar's arrest has now added new tension to the already strained relationship between the United States and Iran.

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