02.03.2026 11:10
Ismail Qaani, the commander of the Quds Force affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, survived the joint attacks of the US and Israel that resulted in the death of Khamenei. It has been reported that Qaani, who has also survived past conflicts, said, "Let's get through the process; the truth will come out sooner or later."
The commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Brigadier General Ismail Qaani, has once again become the center of discussions due to his survival from a series of recent attacks. While the death of Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a joint airstrike by the US and Israel made headlines worldwide, Qaani's survival from the same attack drew attention.
SURVIVED BY LEAVING EARLY Iranian officials stated that Qaani left the meeting where Khamenei was killed early, and thus survived. However, this situation led to various interpretations on social media and some media outlets.
An animation was even made about Qaani being an agent. DENIED THE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST HIM Some social media accounts and media outlets suggested that Qaani might be connected to the CIA or Mossad. It was reported that Qaani said regarding the allegations against him, "Let's get through the process, the truth will come out sooner or later."
SURVIVED THE ATTACKS THAT KILLED KHAMENEI The development that brought the events back to the agenda was the US-Israel joint operation. In this attack, Iran's highest officials were targeted; Khamenei's office and residence were hit, and Iranian state media confirmed his death the next day. While the attack divided Iran, it is stated that Qaani left the meeting that resulted in Khamenei's death early. According to Iranian officials, Qaani survived because of this. While some circles do not see this as a 'coincidence', others interpret it as a sign of 'internal betrayal' or 'espionage'.
DID NOT DIE IN NASRALLAH'S ASSASSINATION EITHER Another notable point was Qaani's survival from the attack on the day Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed on September 27, 2024, despite being in Lebanon. Nasrallah's death occurred during Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon and caused a significant uproar in the region. Qaani's presence in the area that day, yet not being harmed, strengthened the espionage allegations.
ALSO SURVIVED THE 12-DAY WARS Qaani's survival incidents continued during the recent Iran-Israel conflicts known as the '12-day wars'. During this period, Iran's high command was targeted, while it was learned that Qaani was outside the attacks. Many high-ranking Iranian officials were killed or injured during the clashes, but Qaani's survival from this process raised suspicions.
ESPIONAGE ALLEGATIONS AND MOSSAD CONNECTION The allegations suggest that Qaani may be connected to the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) or Israel's Mossad. These allegations spread rapidly on social media, and animated videos portraying Qaani as 'the man who sold Iran' were prepared.
WAS APPOINTED IN PLACE OF QASSEM SOLEIMANI Qaani was appointed in place of Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a US drone strike in 2020, and was seen as a key figure in Iran's overseas operations.