SourceLine Intelligence
Iran US Conflict
Iran-US talks in Islamabad enter expert-level stage as technical committees join negotiations
Iran-US talks in Islamabad have entered the expert-level stage, with technical committees now involved and Pakistani-backed diplomacy moving deeper into direct negotiations.
The U.S. State Department says Secretary Marco Rubio terminated the green card status of foreign nationals tied to an Iranian regime propagandist. Rubio has now publicly identified Seyed Eissa Hashemi, Maryam Tahmasebi and their son as being in ICE custody pending removal, adding a direct public statement to the earlier State Department action.
Verification Layer
What We Know
What Is Still Unclear
Narratives
Source Evidence Comparative Signals & Outlook
Latest update
Added Rubio tweet naming Seyed Eissa Hashemi, Maryam Tahmasebi and their son as being in ICE custody pending removal and linking the family to Masoumeh Ebtekar.
1 month agoAdded Rubio tweet naming Seyed Eissa Hashemi, Maryam Tahmasebi and their son as being in ICE custody pending removal and linking the family to Masoumeh Ebtekar.
What We Know
- The State Department published a release titled “Secretary Rubio Terminates Green Cards of Foreign Nationals Tied to Infamous Iranian Regime Propagandist.”
- Rubio has now publicly said that Seyed Eissa Hashemi, Maryam Tahmasebi and their son are in ICE custody pending removal.
- Rubio said the individuals are relatives of Masoumeh Ebtekar, whom he described as also known as “Screaming Mary” and as the spokeswoman for the hostage-takers who stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979.
- Rubio said the Obama administration granted visas to her son and his family in 2014 and later lawful permanent resident status in June 2016 through the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program.
Confirmed Points
Rubio publicly said he terminated the lawful permanent resident status of the family and that Seyed Eissa Hashemi, Maryam Tahmasebi and their son are in ICE custody pending removal.
Claimed Points
Rubio said Masoumeh Ebtekar, also known as "Screaming Mary," was the spokeswoman for the hostage-takers in 1979 and said her relatives benefited from visas and later lawful permanent resident status under the Obama administration.
What Is Still Unclear
- The full legal and evidentiary basis for the removal action remains unclear from the tweet alone.
- There is no response yet included from the family, lawyers, or Iranian officials.
- It remains unclear whether any additional legal proceedings beyond immigration removal are involved.
Unverified Points
No legal response or independent court or agency documentation is yet included here to test the full factual basis of the claims.
Narrative and Response Layer
Allied Position
U.S. Department of State
"Secretary Rubio Terminates Green Cards of Foreign Nationals Tied to Infamous Iranian Regime Propagandist."
Allied Position
Marco Rubio
"This week, I terminated their lawful permanent resident status and today, Seyed Eissa Hashemi, Maryam Tahmasebi, and their son are now in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement pending their removal from our country."
Allied Position
Marco Rubio
"America can never become home for anti-American terrorists or their families - and under the Trump Administration, it never will."
Full Report
Iran-US talks in Islamabad have entered the expert-level stage, according to Anadolu Agency and Pakistani and regional reporting, with technical committees now involved and discussions focused on Iranian assets and Lebanon. Dawn separately reports that direct talks are underway in Islamabad and that the US delegation is led by Vice President JD Vance and includes Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, while Pakistani official channels have publicly stressed diplomacy and de-escalation. Talks are taking place at the Serena Hotel in Islamabad, and no final agreement or joint communique has yet been publicly issued.
Signals and Outlook
Why It Matters
This matters because the case now moves from a broad State Department action to a named enforcement case tied to alleged Iranian regime-linked history, with direct immigration custody implications and likely legal, diplomatic and political fallout.
Likely Next Development
The next likely developments are a fuller legal or agency explanation, possible lawyer or family response, and any further DHS or ICE clarification on the removal process.
Linked Broader Story
US-Iran negotiations and regional de-escalation after the April ceasefire
Risk Level
High
Expected Next Signals
3
First Trigger
11 Apr 2026, 11:45
Initial SourceLine single-source trigger published from State Department release title and visible snippet.
Verification Updated
11 Apr 2026, 12:10
Added Rubio tweet naming the individuals, confirming ICE custody and expanding the historical-political framing.
Rubio's tweet materially strengthens the existing story because it names the individuals, asserts the ICE custody status and adds political-historical framing. This should remain an update to the same post, not a separate story.