Iranians Respond to Visa Cancellations for Regime Relatives

Iranians have expressed satisfaction regarding the cancellation of visas for relatives of the Islamic regime living lavishly in the United States, although they caution that the recent deportations are merely the “tip of the iceberg.”

Activist and journalist Shayan Khosravani-Farahani acknowledged Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s efforts, stating that it’s been too long that regime affiliates have prospered on wealth taken from the Iranian people.

Khosravani-Farahani remarked that the families connected to the regime are effectively “exploiting Americans” through various means like propaganda, lobbying, and generally enjoying a more secure lifestyle.

Recently, Rubio revoked the green card of Seyed Eissa Hashemi, an adjunct professor at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology and the son of the infamous Masoumeh Ebtekar, known as “Screaming Mary,” who was the mouthpiece for the 1979 U.S. Embassy hostage crisis.

Alongside Hashemi, his wife, Maryam Tamasebi, a fellow psychology professor, also had her green card rescinded, along with their son. They were arrested shortly after reports revealed their affluent living situation at The Avalon in Agoura Hills.

In another case, Hamide Soleimani Afshar and her niece, who are related to the late Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, were similarly forced into exile after living comfortably for years.

Khosravani-Farahani shared that he spent two months collaborating with other activists to gather information, which he turned over to federal authorities, ultimately assisting in the arrests of Hashemi and Afshar.

He explained that their knowledge of these individuals was limited to social media until they took the initiative to approach the authorities with solid evidence. Interestingly, Afshar’s sister even provided documents that helped reveal her true identity, showing dissent against the regime.

Having moved to the U.S. at 14, Khosravani-Farahani, who is originally from Iran, believes that there are “thousands more” Iranians tied to the regime in the U.S., representing a serious national security concern.

“They could act as sleeper cells, activated when the time is right,” he cautioned.

His sentiments echoed those of Morgan Mahizadeh, an Iranian-American activist, who remarked that she has long tried to alert authorities about the presence of Iranians with ties to the regime.

Mahizadeh stated, “They’re here to influence policy and to steal technology. It’s indeed a national security threat.” She expressed happiness over the United States taking steps to deport those affiliated with the regime, insisting that this is just the beginning.

Reflecting on her experience, Mahizadeh, who left Iran at 27, noted that Iranian-Americans have been trying to call attention to these issues for years. “The previous administration just ignored it,” she said, expressing gratitude for current actions against regime affiliates.

Mahizadeh aims to leverage her freedoms in the U.S. to advocate for the oppressed in Iran. “Living there, you truly grasp the depth of oppression that the regime imposes on its people,” she added, emphasizing her desire to be a voice for the voiceless.

Khosravani-Farahani stressed the importance of continued efforts from Rubio to identify more individuals tied to the regime. “We have to distinguish between the diaspora waiting to return and those spreading propaganda for the regime,” he asserted, emphasizing the need for clarity in perceptions.

“It’s essential to draw that line,” Khosravani-Farahani concluded, “so people recognize that we are not associated with them.”