Iranian Quds Force Commander Esmail Qaani Set to Receive Honor from Supreme Leader

Brigadier General Esmail Qaani, the head of the Quds Force, the overseas arm of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards, is reportedly in good health and poised to receive a prestigious medal from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This announcement was made by a senior adviser, Ebrahim Jabbari, who spoke to the semi-official Tasnim news agency. The confirmation of Qaani’s wellbeing comes in the wake of conflicting reports following his visit to Lebanon.

The media had been abuzz with speculation after Qaani traveled to Lebanon subsequent to the assassination of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on September 27, during an Israeli airstrike. Concerns about his safety escalated after further Israeli bombings in southern Beirut last week. However, it has been clearly stated, “Commander Qaani is in perfect health and will receive the Fath medal from the Supreme Leader in the coming days,” according to Jabbari.

Following these events, the Deputy Commander of the Quds Force also denied any reports suggesting harm to Qaani amid Israel’s intensifying airstrikes targeting Hezbollah in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Such measures have been part of Israel’s ongoing strategic military actions in the region, heightening tensions further.

Brigadier General Esmail Qaani was appointed as the commander of the Quds Force following the assassination of Qassem Soleimani by a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad in 2020. His role involves overseeing the Guards’ overseas military and intelligence operations, which are pivotal to Iran’s regional influence.

Meanwhile, Revolutionary Guards Aerospace Commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh was recently awarded the Fath medal as well for his significant involvement in operations against Israel, carried out on October 1. The Fath medal, awarded since 1989, is bestowed upon war heroes, military commanders, and politicians who have notably contributed, especially during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s.

For more information and updates, readers can follow official reports as developments unfold in this volatile region.