| Published June 24, 2025
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested eleven Iranian nationals over the weekend across eight states, several of whom are reportedly connected to terrorist organizations or flagged on federal watchlists. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the operation was part of a targeted sweep to apprehend high-risk individuals amid growing concerns about potential sleeper cells following increased tensions with Iran. While no active terror plots were uncovered, at least one detainee admitted ties to Hezbollah, and another was already listed on the U.S. terrorist watchlist.
🛑 Terrorism Connections Among the Arrestees
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Hezbollah affiliation: Among the 11 arrested was Mehran Makari Saheli, a former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) member with admitted connections to Hezbollah, a U.S.-designated terrorist group, apprehended near St. Paul, Minnesota
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Terrorist watchlist: Yousef Mehridehno, living illegally in Mississippi for nearly eight years, was placed on the U.S. terrorist watchlist in February and recently arrested
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Ex‑Iranian sniper: Ribvar Karimi, was arrested in Locust, Alabama. Karimi reportedly served as an Iranian Army sniper from 2018 to 2021 and at the time of his arrest, in his possession, he had an Islamic Republic of Iran Army identification card. He entered the U.S. on a K-1 visa, which is reserved for aliens engaged to be married to American citizens, in October 2024 under the Biden administration. Karimi never adjusted his status — a legal requirement — and is removable from the United States. He’s currently in ICE custody, where he’ll remain pending removal proceedings.
- On June 22, ICE Houston officials arrested Behzad Sepehrian Bahary Nejad, an alien with a final order of removal, who was carrying a loaded 9mm pistol at the time of his arrest. Sepehrian entered the U.S. in Houston on Dec. 9, 2016, on an F-1 student visa. On Aug. 19, 2017, Harris County police arrested him for assaulting a family member by impeding breathing; his wife told the local assistant district attorney that Sepehrian was threatening her and obtained a restraining order against him. She also alleged he was threatening her family in Iran. On July 23, 2018, the University of Texas terminated Sepehrian’s status after he was placed on academic suspension. An immigration judge ordered him removed on Oct. 10, 2019, after he was released on an immigration bond; he filed a motion to reopen his case, which a Department of Justice immigration judge denied. Sepehrian is in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
- Also in Houston, ICE arrested Hamid Reza Bayat, an Iranian national an immigration judge ordered removed nearly 20 years ago, on Aug. 4, 2005. Twice convicted of drug crimes and once convicted of driving on a suspended license, Bayat served time before receiving his final order of removal. He’s now in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
- On June 22, in Tempe — a Phoenix, Arizona suburb — ICE agents arrested Mehrzad Asadi Eidivand, an Iranian citizen with a final order of removal convicted of threatening a law enforcement officer and being an alien in possession of a firearm. Eidivand entered the U.S. in San Ysidro, California, in June 2012. In August 2013, an immigration judge granted him a voluntary departure, which allows an alien to leave the country without a formal ICE removal, but he never left. Eidivand will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
- At the same residence, officials arrested Linet Vartaniann, a United States citizen, for threatening a law enforcement officer and harboring Eidivand, an illegal alien. Vartaniann threatened to open fire on ICE officials if they entered her home, then said she would go outside and “shoot ICE officers in the head.” ICE officials obtained a search warrant for the residence and arrested the pair, who are now charged with federal crimes.
- On June 22, in Gluckstadt, Mississippi, ICE officers and agents arrested Yousef Mehridehno, an Iranian national and former lawful permanent resident. The U.S. government terminated Mehridehno’s residency in October 2017 after determining he lied on his original visa application and committed potential marriage fraud. In February, Mehridehno was listed as a known or suspected terrorist, and he’s now in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
- On June 22, in Colorado Springs, ICE officials arrested Mahmoud Shafiei and Mehrdad Mehdipour — two illegally present Iranian nationals living together. Immigration officials first encountered Shafiei in Seattle, Washington, in January 1981; a judge ordered him removed in January 1987. His criminal history includes state and federal convictions for drug crimes and arrests for assault and child abuse. U.S. Border Patrol encountered Mehdipour in June 2023 during the Biden administration near Rio Grande Valley, Texas, and processed him as an expedited removal. Both men are in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
- On June 22, in St. Paul, Minnesota, ICE arrested Mehran Makari Saheli, a 56-year-old Iranian national. He was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm in Minneapolis, where he was sentenced to 15 months in prison. He is a former member of off the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) with admitted connections to Hezbollah. An immigration judge ordered him removed June 28, 2022, under the Biden administration, but he illegally remained in the U.S. Saheli is now in ICE custody pending removal.
- On June 22, ICE San Francisco arrested Bahman Alizadeh Asfestani, a 62-year-old Iranian national, with a criminal history that includes a 1994 conviction for petty theft and a 1995 conviction of possession of a controlled substance for sale. Asfestani was sentenced to 10 years in state prison for the drug conviction and is now in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
- On June 23, ICE Buffalo arrested Mohammad Rafikian, a 65-year-old Iranian national convicted of grand larceny, schemes to defraud, criminal impersonation and practicing as an attorney.
- On the same date, ICE San Diego arrested Arkavan Babk Moirokorli, a 57-year-old Iranian national convicted of forging an official seal. Both are in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
🚨 DHS Statement & Context
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DHS characterized several detainees as “known or suspected terrorists” and as individuals with serious criminal histories across eight states and nine cities
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The arrests were labeled by DHS as part of a proactive strategy to remove the “worst of the worst”—including those connected to terrorist groups—especially in the heightened alert environment following recent U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites
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DHS stressed that no specific terror plot has been linked to these individuals and that no credible, specific homeland threats were identified during the sweep .
Implications
🔥 National Security Risks
The presence of individuals with links to Hezbollah, the IRGC, and those on the terrorist watchlist raises urgent concerns about sleeper cells or lone-wolf actors within U.S. borders. Even in the absence of a confirmed plot, the arrests highlight vulnerabilities in immigration and visa oversight systems.
⚠️ Border & Immigration Policy Pressure
The incident will likely intensify pressure on the Biden administration to tighten immigration controls, especially regarding nationals from state sponsors of terrorism. Critics may cite this as evidence that the current border and asylum enforcement system is inadequately vetting high-risk entrants.
🕵️ Intelligence and Law Enforcement Response
U.S. intelligence agencies may ramp up surveillance and cooperation with foreign counterparts to track similar threats. The arrests suggest potential failures in early detection mechanisms, especially since some individuals lived in the U.S. for years before being flagged.
🇮🇷 Geopolitical Tension with Iran
The arrests come amid rising U.S.–Iran tensions following military strikes and cyber incidents. The presence of Iranian nationals with military or extremist backgrounds could be viewed as retaliatory infiltration efforts—whether directed or opportunistic.
💬 Overall Takeaway:
The arrest of 11 Iranian nationals—some with suspected ties to terrorist organizations like Hezbollah and others flagged on federal watchlists—underscores the persistent and evolving threats to U.S. national security. While no active terror plot was discovered, the presence of such individuals within U.S. borders raises serious questions about immigration enforcement, border screening protocols, and the potential for future infiltration. As geopolitical tensions with Iran escalate, these developments serve as a stark reminder of the need for vigilance, improved vetting, and stronger interagency coordination to protect the homeland.
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