10.03.2026 13:11
Since the beginning of the war initiated by the US and Israel against Iran, there has been ongoing speculation about Ismail Qaani's death, execution, and claims of seeking refuge in Israel. Finally, an official statement has been made regarding him. Iran's ambassador to Baghdad, Mohammad Kazem Ali Sadiq, stated, "Ismail Qaani is on the ground and personally managing the war."
The operation launched by the US and Israel against Iran last week targeted the 'heart' of the state. It was announced that 48 high-ranking commanders, including Iran's religious leader Khamenei, were killed. Only Ismail Qaani, the commander of the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, survived that assassination that shook Tehran.
HE HAD SURVIVED ATTACKS BEFORE
Qaani, the commander of the Quds Force affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, had narrowly escaped from the bombed building before the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Qaani's last-minute departure from the area before the operation in which Nasrallah was killed raised discussions, but the Iranian commander faced no accusations. He had also left the building before the attack on a meeting of high-ranking Iranian military officials during the 12-Day War that occurred in June.
QAAANI'S NAME IS AGAIN AT THE CENTER OF CONTROVERSIES
After the attack in which Khamenei was killed, the name of Ismail Qaani, the commander of the Quds Force affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, came back into the spotlight. Accordingly, Qaani had met with Khamenei just minutes before the attack and had left the area shortly before the assault. These developments raised various questions regarding Qaani's reliability.
AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM IRAN REGARDING QAAANI
An official statement came from Iran regarding Ismail Qaani, who has been the subject of numerous claims about being dead, executed, or having sought refuge in Israel since the beginning of the war. Iran's ambassador to Baghdad, Muhammad Kazim Ali Sadik, stated that Qaani continues his duties and rejected the claims. Sadik said, "Qaani is currently on the ground and coordinating the war operations."
WHO IS ISMAIL QAAANI?
Ismail Qaani, the commander of the Quds Force within the Iranian government-affiliated Revolutionary Guards, was born in 1957 in the city of Mashhad, Iran. Qaani joined the ranks of the Revolutionary Guards after the Iranian Revolution in 1979. He served actively during the Iran-Iraq War from 1980 to 1988 and rose in his military career during this period.
Having held senior positions in the Quds Force for many years, Qaani was particularly among those responsible for operations along the Afghanistan and Pakistan fronts. Designated on the US sanctions list, Qaani is seen as an influential figure in the relationships established with regional militia groups.
After the killing of Quds Force Commander Qassem Soleimani in a US airstrike in Baghdad in January 2020, Qaani was appointed to lead the unit. Although he is perceived as a lower-profile figure in the public eye compared to Soleimani, he played an important role in Iran's regional strategy.