US Arrests Niece, Grand-Niece of Qassem Soleimani

Federal agents arrested the niece and grand-niece of slain Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani in the United States on Friday night, following the revocation of their lawful permanent resident status by the State Department. The women, identified as Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her unnamed daughter, are now in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement pending removal proceedings, according to a State Department statement released Saturday.

The arrests stem from the women's alleged support for the Iranian regime, as documented in press reports and their social media activity, the State Department said. Afshar has expressed praise for Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, voiced support for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and criticized the United States, referring to it as the "Great Satan" while commenting on attacks against American forces in the Middle East. Her husband has also been barred from entering the country. The department noted that Afshar maintained an active presence on social media from Los Angeles, where she lived before her arrest.

Soleimani, who commanded the Quds Force, the external operations branch of Iran's Revolutionary Guard...