US federal agents arrested the niece and grandniece of Iran’s late Quds Force commander General Qassem Soleimani in the United States on Friday, April 3, 2026, according to the US State Department.
Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter were taken into custody by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after Secretary of State Marco Rubio terminated their permanent residency status.
The State Department confirmed in an official statement: “Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter are now in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”
The arrests follow long-standing concerns over the family’s ties to Soleimani, who was killed in a US drone strike in Baghdad in January 2020. Hamideh Afshar had been living in the US with legal permanent resident status. A public petition earlier in 2026 had called for her deportation, citing her familial connection to the Iranian military commander designated as a terrorist by the United States.
Context Amid Escalating Tensions
The arrests come as the US continues military operations against Iranian targets and maintains maximum pressure on Tehran. Iranian officials are expected to strongly condemn the action, viewing it as further escalation in the ongoing conflict.
US authorities have not released additional details on potential charges or next legal steps. The family members remain in ICE custody pending immigration proceedings.
This development adds another layer to the tense US-Iran relationship, with Washington signaling zero tolerance for individuals connected to designated Iranian terrorist figures even within the United States.