US revokes green cards of Iranian nationals linked to regime

US federal agents arrested three Iranian nationals this week after the State Department revoked their green card statuses. Among those affected is Seyed Eissa Hashemi, whose mother was a prominent figure during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis, referred to by officials as "Screaming Mary." The State Department stated that Hashemi's mother was "notorious for her role as the leading propagandist for the violent Islamists who perpetrated the Iran hostage crisis."

The revocation of green cards also affected Hashemi's wife and son. Hashemi entered the US in 2014 and obtained lawful permanent resident status in 2016 through the diversity immigrant visa program, which the Trump administration has since ended. The State Department emphasized that the Trump administration will not allow the US to become a refuge for individuals connected to anti-American terrorist regimes.

Additionally, the State Department recently revoked the green card status of Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani, daughter of former Iranian national security council secretary Ali Larijani, and arrested Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, niece of Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian general assassinated by the US in 2020. Soleimani Afshar was accused of celebrating military actions against US personnel while living a lavish lifestyle in Los Angeles.

The arrests coincide with a two-week ceasefire agreement between Washington DC and Tehran. However, tensions remain high, as President Trump criticized Iran for not adhering to agreements regarding oil passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil supply. Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance is in Islamabad to facilitate peace talks, although Iranian leadership has stated they will not engage until Israel halts its military actions in Lebanon.