Iranians are expressing their approval following the U.S. government’s decision to revoke visas of relatives of the Iranian regime who have been living lavish lifestyles in America. Many warn, however, that the deportation of the seven individuals so far is merely “the tip of the iceberg.”
Journalist and activist Shayan Khosravanifarahani commended Secretary of State Marco Rubio for taking decisive action against those connected to the regime. Speaking to The Post, he argued that these individuals have long enjoyed a life of comfort and luxury funded by wealth siphoned from the Iranian populace.
Khosravanifarahani further criticized the regime’s families for exploiting American resources to disseminate their propaganda, engage in lobbying, pursue education, and enjoy a safer, more comfortable existence.
In a significant move on Saturday, Rubio rescinded the green card of Seyed Eissa Hashemi, an adjunct associate professor at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Hashemi is the son of Masoumeh Ebtekar, infamously known as “Screaming Mary,” who served as a propaganda figure for the militants that seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979.
Hashemi’s wife, Maryam Tahmasebi, who is also a psychology professor, and their son had their green cards revoked as well. Federal authorities apprehended the family just days after The Post reported their luxurious residence in Agoura Hills, at an apartment complex named “The Avalon.”
The family was arrested just days after The Post identified them living in luxury in an Agoura Hills apartment called ”The Avalon.”
Their arrest comes just a week after Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, 47, and Sarinasadat Hosseiny, 25, the grandniece and niece of the late Iranian terror mastermind, Gen. Qasem Soleimani, were booted from the country after years of lavish living.
Khosravanifarahani told The Post he spent two months working with other activist to gather evidence that was later shared with federal authorities and led to the arrests of both Hashemi and Afshar.
“We knew we couldn’t do really much about it just on social media. So, we immediately started hitting authorities and finding details about them,” Khosravanifarahani said, adding that Afshar’s own sister shared documents with them that led to her true identity being revealed.
“Even her sister was against how radical [Afshar] is,” he said. ”That’s why she wanted to help us.”
Khosravanifarahani, who was born in Iran and lived there until moving to the US at the age of 14, said there are “thousands more” Iranians with ties to the terrorist regime living in the US which pose a major national security threat.
“These people can be sleeper cells, and at the right time, they may get activated,” Khosravanifarahani said.
“They are really rooted in America, and that is why what is Department of Homeland Security or Immigration is doing to deport these people is so valid.”
His sentiment was echoed by Iranian-American and grassroots activist, Morgan Mahdizadeh.
“They are here to influence policy, they are here to steal technology, and that’s a national security threat,” Mahdizadeh told The Post.
“We are incredibly happy to see that US is finally deporting these regime thugs and sending them back to the very hell that they built for Iranian citizens.”
Mahdizadeh, who grew up in Iran before fleeing the country when she was 27, said Iranian-Americans have been trying to sound the alarm about the Islamic Regimes ties in the US for years
“The Democratic administration just closed their eyes to this,” Mahdizadeh said. “But, now we are really grateful that [the Trump Admin.] are taking action against these people and this is just the tip of the iceberg.”
Mahdizadeh told The Post she wants to use the freedom she was able to gain in America to help the Iranian people.
“You need to live in Iran to understand the extent of the oppression that this regime is doing on people,” she said. “I want to use this freedom to just advocate for the people who are basically voiceless.
Khosravanifarahani said it was crucial Rubio keeps the pressure on and more people are identified.
“We need to distinguish between our diaspora here, who are waiting for our land to be free so we can go back — and the regime who and are here to run their propaganda and do what as the regime tells them,” Khosravanifarahani said.
“We need to draw that line and make sure people know that we are not them.”
