Iranian general in the Quds Force
Esmail Qaani (also spelled as Ismail Qaani ;[ 2] [better source needed ] Persian : اسماعیل قاآنی ; born 8 August 1957)[ 3] is an Iranian brigadier general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and commander of its Quds Force , a division primarily responsible for extraterritorial operations . The Supreme Leader of Iran , Ali Khamenei , appointed Qaani to succeed Qasem Soleimani as Commander of the Quds Force .[ 4] [ 5] [ 6]
In October 2024, speculation arose that he was either killed or injured alongside Hashem Safieddine , who was targeted in the October 2024 Dahieh airstrike .[ 7] [ 8] [ 9] IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency reported that he will be awarded the Fath medal within days.[ 10] Qaani reappeared at a ceremony for Abbas Nilforoushan later that month, according to the Islamic Republic of Iran News Network .[ 11]
^ Sardar Qaani;The commander in the shadow came to the field Tasnim News Agency
^ "Iran's supreme leader names new commander of Quds Force" . Andadolu Agency . 3 January 2020.
^ "Esmail Ghaani: Who is Qasem Soleimani Successor?" . See.News . 3 January 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2020 .
^ Crowley, Michael; Hassan, Falih; Schmitt, Eric (2 January 2020). "U.S. Strike in Iraq Kills Qassim Suleimani, Commander of Iranian Forces" . The New York Times . ISSN 0362-4331 . Retrieved 3 January 2020 .
^ فردا, رادیو (6 March 2019). "معاون سلیمانی: اسد را نیروی قدس به تهران آورد" . رادیو فردا (in Persian). Radio Farda. Retrieved 2 June 2019 .
^ "Iran names deputy commander of Quds force to replace Soleimani after killing" . CNBC. 3 January 2020. Archived from the original on 14 March 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2020 .
^ "Where is Esmail Qaani? Quds Force chief disappears after Israeli strike in Beirut | Al Bawaba" . www.albawaba.com . Retrieved 6 October 2024 .
^ "Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani may have been wounded in Beirut bombing – Ya Libnan" . 5 October 2024. Retrieved 6 October 2024 .
^ "Where Is Esmail Qaani? Fate Of Iran's Quds Force Leader, Last Seen In Beirut, Remains In The Dark" . News18 . 6 October 2024. Retrieved 6 October 2024 .
^ Pietromarchi, Virginia; Motamedi, Maziar (9 October 2024). "Iran's Qaani to receive top medal from supreme leader for Israel attack" . Al Jazeera . Retrieved 9 October 2024 . Ebrahim Jabari, an advisor to IRGC commander-in-chief Hossein Salami, told reporters that Qaani is in good health and will receive the "Fath" medal from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei within days, according to IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news website.
^ Mahmoodi, Negar; Lilieholm, Lucas (14 October 2024). "Commander of Iran's elite Quds Force seen on state media after 2-week public absence" . CNN . Retrieved 14 October 2024 .