The United States government has revoked the permanent resident status of the niece and grandniece of assassinated Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Major General Qasem Soleimani over public support for Iran amid ongoing American military campaigns in the Middle East.

In a statement on Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, announced that he had this week withdrawn the green cards of Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter, noting that the two individuals were arrested by immigration officials on Friday night and are currently in detention ahead of their deportation.

Mr Rubio accused the mother and daughter of living ‘lavishly’ in the United States while celebrating attacks on American soldiers and military infrastructure in the Middle East as part of Iran’s retaliatory response to the American-Israeli-led military operation in the Islamic Republic.

“Until recently, Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter were green card holders living lavishly in the United States. Afshar is the niece of deceased Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani. She is also an outspoken supporter of the Iranian regime who celebrated attacks on Americans and referred to our country as the “Great Satan.”

“This week, I terminated both Afshar and her daughter’s legal status and they are now in ICE custody, pending removal from the United States. The Trump administration will not allow our country to become a home for foreign nationals who support anti-American terrorist regimes,” Mr Rubio said.

Mr Soleimani was a high-ranking Iranian military figure before he was killed in an American drone strike ordered by Mr Trump near Baghdad International Airport during a trip to meet Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi in January 2020.

The Department of State stated that Ms Afshar was identified through media reports and social media posts in which she allegedly referred to the United States as “Great Satan,” while showing support for the Iranian regime, including the new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.

“As identified by both press reporting and her own social media commentary, Soleimani Afshar is an outspoken supporter of the totalitarian, terrorist regime in Iran,” the state department said.

“While living in the United States, she promoted 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 voiced her unflinching support for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, a designated terror organisation.”