Iran’s Quds Force commander appears after reports of his assassination

By Rania Abu Shamala

ISTANBUL (AA) - Iranian Brigadier General Esmail Qaani, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) Quds Force, was seen alive and well during celebrations Tuesday in Tehran of Iran's self-claimed victory over Israel, according to local media.

A video posted by Iran’s Tasnim News Agency showed Qaani among the crowd at the event.

“Commander Qaani attends today’s gathering of the people of Tehran following Operation Divine Victory,” the agency said on X.

State-funded Press TV also published the video, saying: “Brigadier General Esmail Qaani, Commander of the IRGC Quds Force, was warmly received by a jubilant crowd in Tehran during victory celebrations over the Zionist (Israeli) regime.”

Earlier this month, the New York Times reported that Qaani was among the Iranian military leaders killed in Israeli strikes.

Israel launched airstrikes on several sites across Iran since June 13, including military and nuclear facilities, alleging that Tehran was on the verge of producing a nuclear bomb, a claim vehemently denied by Iran.

While Iran launched retaliatory missile and drone strikes, the US joined the conflict by bombing three Iranian nuclear sites on Sunday.

After 12 days of aerial combat between the two regional arch-foes, US President Donald Trump announced overnight a ceasefire between Israel and Iran to end their conflict.