Iran's IRGC Quds Force head hints at group's power at home and Middle East

• Published date: 30 September 2021
• Author: SETH J. FRANTZMAN

According to Tasnim News Agency , the head of the IRGC Quds Force, Ismail Qaani, attended the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and congratulated Dr. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on his election as Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Why does this matter? In the past the IRGC Quds Force head Qasem Soleimani was seen as the "shadow commander" in reports, a figure who moved around the Middle East and pushed Iran's agenda far and wide, but who did not often brag of his role. When the US killed Soleimani in a drone strike in January 2020 he was replaced by Qaani, a man of unclear abilities. Qaani was rumored to be an expert on Afghanistan, and it may be that his role there helped remove the US from Kabul this year, but his role in Iraq and Syria is not year fully formed.

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Nevertheless the reports of his meeting at the Foreign Ministry seek to showcase his power and influence. In the meeting he emphasized "the special and significant position of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in securing the national interests of our country," the report said. But why does the Ministry, previously run by Javad Zarif, who had fame in the West, need the blessings of the Quds Force? Because this illustrates the real power structure and how the ministry works hand in glove with the IRGC.

Zarif, although he postured as being close to the IRGC when necessary, and a "moderate" when speaking to western audiences, was not really close to Soleimani. Of interest here, the report says that Amir-Abdollahian, "while appreciating the valuable presence of Sardar Qaani in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, pointed to the irreplaceable role of Soleimani in the fight against terrorism." Iran uses the term "terrorism" to refer to ISIS and other extremists. "Today our region was different," the minister apparently said. "If ISIS had succeeded in Syria and Iraq, it would...