Latest news with #EsmailQaani
Shafaq News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iran's Quds Force chief held secret meetings with Iraqi Shiite leaders
Shafaq News – Baghdad The commander of Iran's Quds Force, Esmail Qaani, paid a brief, unannounced visit to Baghdad in recent days, where he met with senior figures in Iraq's Coordination Framework. Informed sources told Shafaq News that Qaani's visit lasted approximately ten hours and included separate meetings with former prime minister and State of Law Coalition leader Nouri al-Maliki, National Wisdom Movement (Al-Hikma) leader Ammar al-Hakim, Fatah Alliance head Hadi al-Amiri, and Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq leader Humam Hammoudi. The discussions, the source revealed, focused on regional developments and Iraq's internal political landscape, with particular attention to upcoming elections and shifting alliances within the Shiite-led Coordination Framework, a major political bloc supported by Tehran. The Iranian commander did not meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani during this visit. This marks Qaani's second visit to Baghdad within two months. On June 28, he reportedly met with figures from the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an umbrella of mostly Shiite paramilitary groups backed by Iran. No official statements have been issued by either the Iraqi or Iranian sides regarding these meetings.
Shafaq News
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iran braces for new round of fighting with Israel
Shafaq News – Tehran Iranian Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani has warned allied armed forces in Iraq to brace for possible Israeli airstrikes and to guard against infiltration, according to a report by the Long War Journal. The reported meeting in Baghdad marks a rare direct intervention, underscoring Tehran's concerns about Israeli operations extending into Iraqi territory. While Iran-backed groups such as Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, Kataib Hezbollah, and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada have voiced support for Iran in recent weeks, they have largely refrained from active participation in the Iran-Israel conflict. Analysts say the restraint reflects Tehran's interest in preserving its political and economic stakes in Iraq. The country remains a vital economic corridor for Iran, generating an estimated $1B in illicit oil profits annually, with armed groups holding sway over key sectors and ministries within the ruling Coordination Framework. During the recent 12-day war, only a handful of unclaimed drone and missile strikes occurred on Iraqi soil, including attacks on the Ain al-Asad base and the US consulate in Erbil. Despite rhetorical threats against the US and Israel, the armed groups have so far limited their engagement to public statements.
Shafaq News
28-06-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
US: Iran-backed militias threaten Iraq
Shafaq News – Washington/Baghdad On Saturday, the US State Department reaffirmed its strong opposition to what it described as Iran's destabilizing influence in Iraq. A State Department official told Shafaq News that the United States government opposes Iran's 'destabilizing influence in Iraq and continues to view Iran-backed militias as a threat to Iraqi sovereignty and to regional stability." The statement comes amid growing concerns that Iraq could become a direct battleground in broader regional tensions, even as the open conflict between Iran and Israel subsides. Reports indicate that Esmail Qaani, commander of Iran's Quds Force, is currently visiting Baghdad, where he is reportedly holding meetings with leaders of armed factions and the so-called Axis of Resistance, an alliance of Iran-aligned groups in Iraq and the wider region, to coordinate positions and potentially form a new operations room, according to Radio Monte Carlo International. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, speaking earlier this week, warned that Iraq will not tolerate any internal or external actions that undermine its security and stability, vowing a firm response to any such threats.
Times of Oman
28-06-2025
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Iran: Thousands attend funeral of IRGC commanders, nuclear scientists killed in Israeli strikes
Tehran: Thousands of Iranians gathered in Tehran on Saturday to attend the funeral procession of senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders, nuclear scientists, and civilians killed in Israeli airstrikes, according to Iranian media, The Jerusalem Post reported. Their coffins were driven into Tehran's Azadi Square adorned with their photos and national flags, as crowds waved flags and some reached out to touch the caskets and throw rose petals onto them. Iran's President Mansour Pezeshkian and Esmail Qaani, head of the IRGC's Quds Force, were present at the procession. "Today, Iranians, through heroic resistance against two regimes armed with nuclear weapons, protected their honor and dignity, and look to the future prouder, more dignified, and more resolute than ever," Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, who also attended the funeral, said in a Telegram post. Authorities in Iran stated that 627 people were killed in the country, though the full extent of the damage could not be independently verified due to strict media restrictions. According to Israeli officials, 28 people were killed in Israel during the conflict. A senior Israeli military official said on Friday that more than 30 senior security officials and 11 senior nuclear scientists were killed in Iran during Israel's Operation Rising Lion, summarising the 12-day air war with Iran. The official added that the Israeli Air Force struck over 900 targets and caused significant damage to Iran's missile production capabilities during the conflict, which ended with a US-brokered ceasefire, The Jerusalem Post reported. The procession comes days after Ayatollah Khamenei congratulated the people of Iran for what he called a "decisive victory" over the US and Israel during the 12-Day War in posts on X/Twitter, and a recorded message released on Thursday. The Jerusalem Post reported that Khamenei congratulated the Iranian people and said, "With all that clamour, with all those claims, the Zionist regime, under the blows of the Islamic Republic, has almost collapsed and been crushed." Khamenei also claimed that the US intervened in the war out of fear that Israel would be destroyed without its help. He asserted that the US gained nothing from the war and received a "slap in the face." The Iranian leader warned that Iran "can take action whenever it deems necessary" and that any further aggression by its enemies would result in them "paying a heavy price." His remarks followed a two-week disappearance from the public eye, during which he reportedly relocated to a hidden location and avoided electronic communications over concerns about Israeli assassination attempts.
Shafaq News
28-06-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iran mourns 56 nationals killed in in conflict with Israel
Shafaq News – Tehran Funeral ceremonies began on Saturday in Iran for 56 military commanders and nuclear scientists killed during the recent 12-day Iranian-Israeli war, local media reported. Iran's state television aired the start of a "martyrs' tribute" ceremony, featuring footage from Tehran where crowds waved Iranian flags and held pictures of the deceased commanders as the nation observed a day of mourning. The funeral procession moved from the gate of Tehran University to Azadi Square, drawing a large crowd with widespread participation. Among those attending were Iran's judiciary chief, Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani, and President Masoud Pezeshkian. On Friday, the Iranian army confirmed the deaths of 56 personnel, including 30 security officials and 11 nuclear experts, during the clashes with Israel. The confrontation, which began on June 13, marked a significant escalation in regional hostilities, involving unprecedented direct strikes on nuclear facilities, military leaders, and strategic bases.
