ICE Arrests Relatives of Slain Iranian General Soleimani in LA

Niece and grandniece of notorious IRGC commander accused of promoting regime propaganda and celebrating attacks on US

Apr. 4, 2026 at 3:21pm

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The niece and grandniece of slain Iranian general Qasem Soleimani were arrested by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials in Los Angeles on Friday. The State Department accused the two women of living a lavish lifestyle in the US while promoting Iranian regime propaganda, celebrating attacks on American soldiers, and voicing support for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, a designated terrorist organization.

Why it matters

The arrests are part of the US government's efforts to crack down on foreign nationals with ties to Iran amid ongoing tensions between the two countries. Soleimani, who led the notorious Iranian Revolutionary Guard, was killed in a 2020 drone strike ordered by former President Trump.

The details

According to the State Department, the women - Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter - were arrested by ICE on Friday. While living in the US, they were accused of promoting Iranian regime propaganda, celebrating attacks on American military forces in the Middle East, praising Iran's new Supreme Leader, denouncing the US as the 'Great Satan,' and voicing unwavering support for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.

  • Qasem Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike in January 2020 near the Baghdad International Airport in Iraq.
  • Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter were arrested by ICE on Friday, April 4, 2026.

The players

Qasem Soleimani

A former Iranian general who led the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force, a US-designated terrorist organization, until he was killed in a US drone strike in 2020.

Hamideh Soleimani Afshar

The niece of Qasem Soleimani, who was arrested by ICE in Los Angeles on April 4, 2026 for allegedly promoting Iranian regime propaganda and celebrating attacks on US forces.

Hamideh Soleimani Afshar's daughter

The grandniece of Qasem Soleimani, who was arrested by ICE in Los Angeles on April 4, 2026 along with her mother for the same alleged activities.

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The takeaway

The arrests highlight the US government's ongoing efforts to crack down on foreign nationals with ties to Iran, particularly those with connections to the Iranian regime and its designated terrorist organizations like the Revolutionary Guard. The case underscores the tensions between the US and Iran that have persisted since the killing of Qasem Soleimani in 2020.