US Scraps Residency Permit For Late Iran.General’s Family Over Anti-American Media Posts
The U.S. Secretary of State, Mr. Marco Rubio, has scrapped the legal status of relatives of the deceased Iranian General Qasem Soleimani residing in the United States.
Revoked by the United States government were permanent residency of the niece and grandniece of the assassinated Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Major General Qasem Soleimani, with the US citing their public support for Iran amidst ongoing American military operations in the Middle East.
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In a statement issued on Saturday, Mr. Rubio announced that he had recently withdrawn the green cards of Ms. Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter. He noted that both individuals were apprehended by immigration authorities on Friday night and are currently in detention pending their deportation.
Mr. Rubio accused the mother and daughter of living opulently in the United States while applauding attacks on American soldiers and military infrastructure in the Middle East, which are part of Iran’s retaliatory measures against the American-Israeli-led military operation in the Islamic Republic.
Stated Mr. Rubio: “Until recently, Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter were green card holders residing lavishly in the United States. Afshar, the niece of the deceased Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani, is also an outspoken supporter of the Iranian regime, having celebrated attacks on Americans and referred to our nation as the ‘Great Satan.'”
“This week, I have terminated both Afshar and her daughter’s legal status, and they are now in the custody of ICE, pending removal from the United States. The Trump administration will not permit our country to become a refuge for foreign nationals who support anti-American terrorist regimes.”
Mr. Soleimani was a prominent Iranian military figure prior to his assassination in an American drone strike, ordered by Mr. Trump, near Baghdad International Airport during a visit to meet Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi in January 2020.
The Department of State indicated that Ms. Afshar was identified through media reports and social media posts in which she allegedly referred to the United States as the “Great Satan,” while expressing support for the Iranian regime, including the new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.
“As identified by both media reports and her own social media commentary, Soleimani Afshar is an outspoken supporter of the totalitarian, terrorist regime in Iran,” stated the Department of State.
“While living in the United States, she propagated Iranian regime propaganda, celebrated attacks against American soldiers and military facilities in the Middle East, praised the new Iranian Supreme Leader, denounced America as the ‘Great Satan,’ and expressed her unwavering support for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, a designated terrorist organization.”
