Iranian media reports, cited by Israeli journalist Asaf Rosensweig (N12), say IRGC Quds Force commander Ismail Qaani has arrived in Baghdad and met with senior leaders of pro-Iranian militias in Iraq. The visit adds detail to yesterday's Saudi Al-Arabiya report that Qaani traveled to the Iraqi capital, which The Zioneer covered.
Iranian media reports, cited by Israeli journalist Asaf Rosensweig (N12), say that IRGC Quds Force commander Ismail Qaani has met with senior leaders of pro-Iranian militias in Baghdad. The report, which emerged overnight Monday into Tuesday, adds the first on-record Iranian domestic confirmation of the visit and specifies that Qaani held meetings with the heads of the pro-Iranian armed groups in the Iraqi capital.
Earlier Monday evening (August 10, 23:24 Jerusalem), three reports surfaced within minutes. The Qatari outlet Al Hadath first reported Qaani's arrival in Baghdad. The Israeli news network i24NEWS then reported that he had met with the leadership of the Iraqi militia union. The Saudi-owned outlet Al-Arabiya subsequently confirmed his arrival, citing its own sources. The Zioneer covered all three reports. The current Iranian media account, relayed via N12, adds a further level of detail by identifying the meetings as involving senior pro-Iranian militia leaders — a more specific description than earlier reports.
Qaani commands the IRGC's extraterritorial operations and manages Iran's proxy network across the region. He previously visited Iraq in July for the funeral of the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, during which he met with Abu Alaa al-Walai, leader of the Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada militia, as The Zioneer reported on July 8 (22:23 Jerusalem). Iran has also operated covert elite cells in Iraq that bypass local militia command structures to strike Gulf states, as The Zioneer reported on June 19 (17:54 Jerusalem). The current visit underscores Tehran's ongoing coordination with its Iraqi proxies amid heightened regional tensions.
The significance and duration of Qaani's visit remain unclear. It is not yet known whether he plans to meet with Iraqi government officials or if the visit is limited to militia coordination.
5 developments
- DevelopingIRGC Quds Force chief Qaani meets with Iraqi militia leader during Khamenei funeral visit
- DevelopingIraq declares IRGC Quds Force commander Ismail Qaani persona non grata, orders expulsion
- StrongQatari mediators continue talks with Iran to secure IRGC support for Hormuz compromise
- DevelopingYair Goldblatt: Ismail Qaani expected to step down as IRGC Quds Force commander
Source and signal
- Open-source intake