The fall of the pro-Iranian regime led by Bashar al-Assad in Syria at the hands of Sunni Islamist rebels has triggered chaos in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). The leader of IRGC foreign operations Esmail Qaani has come under fire, according to reports.
Following Assad's ouster, some Iranian ultra-hardliners have openly rallied against Qaani and the Revolutionary Guards. Many inside the IRGC have also openly questioned the capabilities of Qaani. "Now that Syria has fallen, some say, ‘What kind of Quds Force is this, and Qaani is incapable," Ali Shirazi, former representative of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, was quoted by Iran International.
Shirazi, who serves as an enforcer of Islamic revolutionary ideology in the defence ministry, added that Qaani is being compared to his predecessor IRGC Quds force commander Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in a US drone strike in 2020.
General Qaani: Today at 1 PM, the greatest defeat of the Zionist regime will be unveiled. pic.twitter.com/GlupMtLbR8
— Tehran Times (@TehranTimes79) January 19, 2025
"Where is Haj Qasem? What would have happened if he had been [alive]?" Shirazi said.
He added that it was not wise to rush to conclusions. "If tomorrow a movement emerges in Syria and it recovers, they will say, 'See? We told you Qaani is better than Haj Qasem!" Shirazi added.
Shirazi said he has counselled the critics of Qaani not to be harsh and be patient. "When the Imam (Khomeini) passed away, some people in this very country said, 'It's over," Shirazi continued. "But now, all political groups in the country say, 'We have no one better than the Master (Khamenei)." "It’s true that (Qaani) was in the Quds Force and should have been further along," Shirazi added.
Qaani's position inside the IRGC was already shaky after Israel's attack on Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah which killed him. The air strikes on Hezbollah and Iran which knocked out much of its air defenses have amplified the movement against Qaani. So much so that he was not immediately seen in public.
Some believe he had fallen from official favour after he stopped giving public appearances the last few months. There were reports that Qaani was detained and questioned as Iran seeks to understand how Israel was able to infiltrate its Lebanese ally Hezbollah and assassinate top leaders.
