US revokes green cards of Iranians linked to Tehran government

In a significant move, the United States administration has revoked the green cards and visas of several Iranian nationals linked to the Tehran government , with two individuals now detained by immigration authorities and facing possible deportation.

The decision was taken this week after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined that the individuals were no longer eligible for lawful permanent residency or entry into the United States . Officials say the move is part of a broader effort to prevent people connected to hostile regimes from enjoying privileges inside the country.

Among those detained are Hamideh Soleimani Afshar , the niece of former Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps chief Qassem Soleimani , and her daughter. Soleimani was killed in a US airstrike near Baghdad in 2020 , an event that sharply escalated tensions between Washington and Tehran.

According to the US State Department , Afshar and her daughter had been living in Los Angeles for several years before their green cards were revoked. Immigration authorities arrested them on Friday, and they are currently in the custody of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) . Afshar’s husband has also been barred from entering the United States , officials said.

In a post on X, Rubio described Afshar as an “outspoken supporter of the Iranian regime” who had celebrated attacks against Americans and referred to the United States as the “Great Satan.” He said the administration would not allow the country to become “a safe home for foreign nationals who support anti-American terrorist regimes.”

The latest action follows similar steps taken recently against other Iranian nationals. The US government revoked the visas of Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani , an academic and daughter of Iran’s former national security adviser Ali Larijani , who was reportedly killed in a US-Israel airstrike last month . Her husband, Seyed Kalantar Motamedi, also had his visa cancelled. Officials confirmed that neither of them is currently in the United States.

Earlier in December 2025 , the State Department had also revoked or declined to renew visas for several diplomats and staff members at Iran’s mission to the United Nations , including the deputy ambassador.

US officials said that decision was not related to the wave of anti-government protests in Iran or the ongoing conflict , though they declined to provide further details citing privacy and security concerns.

The Iranian mission to the United Nations has not issued any immediate response to the latest developments.