US Arrests Family Tied to Iranian Regime Figure

U.S. federal agents arrested three Iranian nationals in Los Angeles after the State Department revoked their green cards due to ties with Iran's regime, according to multiple reports. The arrests target Seyed Eissa Hashemi, Maryam Tahmasebi and their son, who have been placed in custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The family members are linked to Masoumeh Ebtekar, known as 'Screaming Mary,' a prominent figure during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis. The State Department described her as a “leading propagandist” for “violent Islamists.” Despite this characterization, Ebtekar later became a reformist politician in Iran who advocated for environmental protections and women’s rights.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered the termination of their legal residency status, granted during the Obama administration in 2016. The arrests come amid an escalating immigration crackdown by the Trump administration targeting individuals with alleged ties to the Islamic regime. Rubio stated on social media that 'Her family should never have been allowed to benefit from the extraordinary privilege of living in our country.'

The arrests follow similar actions against other Iranian nationals, including Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, niece of Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian military general killed by the U.S. in 2020. The State Department accused Afshar of supporting Iran's regime and celebrating military strikes against U.S. personnel.

The Trump administration has been actively revoking green cards and deporting individuals linked to Iran's government as part of a broader effort to address national security concerns. These recent arrests come after right-wing pressure campaigns, including efforts by influencer Laura Loomer who documented the social media activity of Soleimani’s relatives.