Ismail Kaani is the commander of the elite corps of the Quds Force, which is part of the “Revolutionary Guards” organization. He is reportedly in custody in Iran and being interrogated by persons under the direct supervision of the supreme religious leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The reason he has been brought to this process is to ascertain his possible involvement in the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
In the last few days there were reports that wanted Ismail Kaani dead, however the news was soon denied. Rumors had him dead by Israeli fire in Beirut. But the commander, as reported by Sky News Arabic, is in an Iranian hospital after suffering a heart attack.
The information, but also the questions, surrounding his name are varied. The office and the situation, in which he is, causes renewed concerns and reflections about the overall situation in the Middle East. But who is Ismail Kaani and how did the rumors about him start?
Who is Ismail Kaani?
Ismail Kaani is an Iranian brigadier general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and commander of the Quds Force. This elite group is mainly responsible for Iran operations. He assumed office after the assassination of his predecessor in Baghdad, Qassem Soleimani, in 2020.
He was born on August 8, 1957 in the city of Mashhad, one of the most populous cities in the country with a strong religious element. In 1980, he joined the Iranian organization, where he gradually rose through the ranks. In fact, he fought with them in the Iran-Iraq war.
Tehran named Ismail Kaani the head of the Corps’ overseas military intelligence service, and his duties were to manage Tehran’s paramilitary allies in the Middle East, as well as other regions around the world.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, when he put him in command of the Quds Force, described him as “one of the most prominent military commanders during the Holy Defence». Although he himself never managed to have the same respect as his predecessor.
During Ismail Kaani’s tenure, his unit has managed to evolve its strikes and outsmart Israeli spies. At the same time, he chose to keep a low profile and not appear in public.
How the rumors about Ismail Kaani started
Rumors about Ismail Kaani have flared up since the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, as he has not been seen in public since. It is now known that he is alive and unharmed. But he remains in custody by the “Revolutionary Guards” command. Ayatollah and senior officials have launched investigations into him and his army and are trying to establish whether there is any connection to the assassination of the Hezbollah leader, as well as former Hamas leader Ismail Haniya.
It is noteworthy that at the same time that the commander of Quds disappeared, Nasrallah’s successor, Hashim Safyeddin, was reportedly killed by Israeli fire in Beirut.
The evidence that has implicated Qaani in the Nasrallah murder
Newspaper publication «The Parisian“, a few days after the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, revealed that an Iranian spy was Israel’s informant, to achieve the hit. It is recalled that the leader of Hezbollah was killed by Israeli airstrike while he was in a secret meeting of the Shura Council.
The sources of the newspaper stated that the “spy” was briefly at the meeting point and then left, after first ascertaining the arrival of the leader of the Lebanese organization.
At the same time, Hezbollah sources noted to the media, as revealed by the “Middle East Eye“, and Ismail Kaani was in Beirut on the same day. It is emphasized, in fact, that the Kunduz brigadier general went there to attend the Council at the invitation of Hashim Safieddin. Testimonies explain that the Iranian commander went to the meeting, but left after a while apologizing.
In addition, there are important indications, which make him once again in Lebanon during the assassination of his successor Hassan Nasrallah. From this event initially arose various speculations about the state of his life. The news agency “Tasnim” linked to the “Revolutionary Guards” said he would be awarded the Fath (: Conquest) medal by Ali Khamenei within days.
However, finally after a few days Ismail Kaani was arrested and is being interrogated for the incidents. According to Iranian authorities, the suspects will remain in solitary confinement until certain conclusions are drawn about the case.
Finally, informants explain that “Iran has serious suspicions that the Israelis have infiltrated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Especially to those dealing with Lebanese issues. So everyone is under investigation».
This development is important for the escalation of the situation in the Middle East, since Hezbollah is one of the organizations supported by Iran and the Revolutionary Guards.
It remains to be seen whether Ismail Kaani, or other executives of the Iranian group are involved in the assassination of leaders of Hamas and the Lebanese organization
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