While the U.S. is conducting search and rescue operations for the pilot, it has simultaneously dispatched personnel to arrest the niece and granddaughter of Qasem Soleimani, Iran's former "second-in-command," sending a clear signal.
The U.S. F-15 fighter jet was hit by Iran, and two pilots parachuted to safety. One has already been rescued by the United States; the other remains missing.
Now both Iran and the U.S. are racing against time to locate this missing pilot, who may become a pivotal figure in altering the U.S.-Iran situation.
The U.S. has arrested two relatives of the late Soleimani and revoked their permanent resident status in the United States.
This sends a strong message: if Iran locates the pilot first, will the U.S. resort to a "hostage exchange"?
Soleimani was killed in a U.S. airstrike in 2020, when he was second only to Ayatollah Khamenei in Iran's hierarchy.
Six years after Soleimani's death, the sudden arrest of his relatives in the U.S. speaks volumes—its meaning is self-evident.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1861584748468228/
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