Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, Qasem Soleimani’s niece, rejected by ex in ICE call

A relative of a prominent Iranian military figure, facing deportation from California, has sought assistance from a past romantic partner while detained at an ICE facility.

Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, 47, married and the niece of General Qasem Soleimani, the former head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard killed in a 2020 U.S. air strike, contacted Maziar Aflaki, 68, from her detention in Pearsall, Texas, on Monday.

Upon hearing her voice, Aflaki, a retired individual, refused to accept the call, citing years of alleged harassment and abuse by Afshar. He expressed to the California Post, “I don’t want anything to do with her.”

“She scares me. I was so afraid of her. She knows how to make herself seem like an angel and you feel like the devil. I wanted someone to take her away – now it’s happened.”

The Post reported that Afshar, known for showcasing her opulent lifestyle on social media, was apprehended along with her daughter, Sarinasadat Hosseiny, 25, at their Tujunga residence on April 3.

Their U.S. permanent residency statuses were revoked by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, citing alleged connections to the regime, according to a statement issued on Saturday.

Rubio described the women in a social media post as “green card holders living lavishly in the United States.”

Afshar entered the U.S. in 2015 on a tourist visa, a year before meeting Aflaki. She was granted asylum in 2019 and received her green card in 2021.

In her 2025 naturalization application, Afshar admitted to visiting Iran four times since obtaining her green card. The DHS noted, “Her trips to Iran illustrate her asylum claims were fraudulent.”

The State Department alleged Afshar was a vocal supporter of Iran’s totalitarian regime and had used her social media to propagate Iranian regime messages.

Hosseiny arrived in the U.S. in 2015 on a student visa, later receiving asylum in 2019 and a green card in 2023.

Afshar’s husband, residing in Iran, has also been barred from entering the U.S. His identity is revealed by the Post as Hasan Hosseiny.

Aflaki recounted meeting Afshar in 2016, claiming she pursued him despite his lack of romantic interest.

“I said please stay away and leave me alone,” he said, describing Afshar as “manipulative” for refusing to heed his request.

Aflaki alleged that Afshar launched a relentless campaign to win him over, which turned into an ordeal of harassment, stalking, and physical violence.

“She takes advantage of every man she knows,” Aflaki stated. “She was saying ‘I love you’ but I was so afraid. She said I reminded her of her dad. All these years I was suffering. I wanted to have my life back.

“She’s very dangerous – a professional troublemaker.” He also claimed she stole a $6,500 diamond ring belonging to his mother.

Now relieved by her impending deportation, Aflaki commented on Afshar’s notoriety, saying she has “become more famous than Kim Kardashian.”

Afshar’s behavior allegedly extended beyond Aflaki. LA hairdresser Zare Mandani, 54, disclosed to the Post he secured a five-year restraining order against her after being harassed at his salon and home in 2024.

“Thank God,” he remarked upon learning of her ICE arrest. “That’s good. She’s a stalker.”

Court documents indicate Mandani accused Afshar of “emotional abuse, harassment” and threats to harm herself.

Aflaki believes anyone linked to the Iranian regime should be expelled from the U.S. “They should all be deported,” he stated. “These people are poison. They’re trash.”

On Monday, the Post reported that college professor Eissa Hashemi, 43, the son of a prominent Iranian regime figure, is enjoying a luxurious lifestyle in Southern California, despite calls for his removal from the U.S.

His mother, Masoumeh Ebtekar, often referred to as “Screaming Mary,” was known for supporting militants who seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979, holding 52 Americans hostage for 444 days.

Ebtekar gained notoriety for her pro-militia propaganda during the crisis and was later elevated to Vice President for Women and Family Affairs by regime leaders. She remains one of the highest-ranking women in the Muslim world.

A critic expressed online that Hashemi, a lecturer at the $20,000-a-year Chicago School in Claremont, east of LA, benefits from the U.S. despite his mother’s controversial past.

“We want Issa Hashemi and his wife, Maryam Tahmasebi, to be fired from the US as soon as possible,” the critic wrote.

An Instagram commenter noted, “Mr. Hashemi has never publicly distanced himself from his mother’s actions or legacy.”

“I believe Eissa Hashemi’s affiliations could undermine the safety, trust, integrity, values, or commitment to human rights at an American college, warranting further examination.”

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters