Inside the Lavish Life of Slain Iranian General's Niece in the US: 10 Photos of Hamideh Soleimani Afshar

Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, niece of slain Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, and her daughter Sarinasadat Hosseiny, were arrested and detained on Friday, 3 April, by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Their green cards were revoked following allegations of ties to the Iranian regime.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the arrests in a press release and on his official X account. Afshar and her daughter have showcased their luxurious California lifestyle on social media, while calling the US the 'Great Satan'.

Arrest in Los Angeles

Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, 47, and her daughter, Sarinasadat Hosseiny, 25, were arrested by ICE on Friday, 3 April. Their green cards were revoked over their alleged ties to the Iranian regime. According to the US Department of State, Afshar had promoted regime propaganda and celebrated attacks against US soldiers and military bases in the Middle East.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the Friday arrest via a press release and a post on X. In a statement, he wrote: 'While living in the United States, she promoted Iranian regime propaganda, celebrated attacks against American soldiers and military facilities in the Middle East.'

Rubio further noted that Afshar 'praised the new Iranian Supreme Leader, denounced America as the "Great Satan," and voiced her unflinching support for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, a designated terror organization.' Afshar's husband has also been barred from entering the country.

On his X post, Secretary Rubio wote: 'The Trump Administration will not allow our country to become a home for foreign nationals who support anti-American terrorist regimes'.

Witness Accounts

Piano instructor Halasius Bradford, 50, who rents a property Afshar owns, shared with New York Post that the women were taken into custody about 5:00 PM, Friday. He reported seeing ICE agents in the area prior to the arrest.

'It was crazy seeing what happened. I saw three LAPD patrol cars and one or two from ICE,' he said. He added that he did not witness the women being taken away. 'The daughter lives in Hollywood. The boyfriend told me that he and Sarina were driving outside the house when they were cut up by ICE cars. He said the agents were demanding to know where the mother was,' Bradford said.

Who is Hamideh Soleimani Afshar?

Afshar is the niece of the late Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, the Iranian commander killed in a US airstrike near Baghdad International Airport in January 2020.

Afshar entered the US in 2015 on a tourist visa, was granted asylum in 2019, and obtained a green card in 2021. Her daughter also entered the US in 2015 on a student visa and became a green card holder in 2023.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, Afshar has made at least four trips to Iran since receiving her green card. She was also active on social media where she showcased her lifestyle and shared content supportive of Tehran's regime.

Lavish Lifestyle in the US

On her Instagram account, which has since been deleted, Afshar displayed her taste for luxury. She was pictured wearing designer clothing, including a Louis Vuitton hoodie, and posing with champagne in a helicopter. She also reportedly bought a Plainview Avenue property for $505,000 (approximately £400,000) in 2021.

She drove a black Tesla Model 3 sedan, which was reportedly found filled with luxury goods, including a Miss Dior bag and Hermes cushions, and a Sephora makeup bag. Her daughter was reportedly seen enjoying the nightlife in Miami, vacations in Alaska, and parties in Las Vegas.

In addition to their lavish lifestyle, both mother and daughter were reported to wear revealing clothing, such as skimpy dresses and bikinis, and not wear the hijab, practices that would be illegal under Iran's dress code laws.