TEHRAN: Iranian commander Esmail Qaani, who has been absent from the public eye for several weeks, made a public appearance on Tuesday to attend the funeral of General Abbas Nilforoushan, who was killed last month in Beirut.
According to National News Agency-Lebanon, the funeral procession for General Nilforoushan, a high-ranking official in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, commenced at Imam Hossein Square in central Tehran. The ceremony was broadcast live on state television, highlighting the presence of thousands of mourners, including many carrying Hezbollah banners and flags of Iran and Palestine. The crowd was seen chanting slogans against Israel, reflecting the high tensions following recent events.
General Nilforoushan was reportedly killed in an Israeli strike in Beirut, an attack that also claimed the life of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Qaani, the head of the Quds Force-the foreign operations arm of the Revolutionary Guards-had been rumored to have been targeted in the same strike but appeared i
n good health at the funeral dressed in military attire.
The Iranian foreign ministry, in a statement on Monday, declared that Iran would utilize “all its capacities” to hold Israel accountable for the attacks. This statement follows a significant military response from Iran on October 1, when it launched 200 missiles at Israel, marking it as the second direct attack against its arch-foe. This aggressive stance was in retaliation not only for the deaths of Nilforoushan and Nasrallah but also for the killing of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in July.
The ongoing conflict has escalated, with Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warning of a “deadly, precise, and surprising” retaliation for the Iranian missile attack. Amidst these tensions, Iran has reportedly engaged in diplomatic efforts aimed at establishing a ceasefire in Lebanon and Gaza and preventing further regional escalation.
During a recent visit to Baghdad, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi expressed Iran’s readiness for war, although he empha
sized a preference for peace over conflict.
This series of events follows an April incident where Tehran retaliated with missiles and drones against Israel after a deadly strike on Iran’s consulate in Damascus, which was attributed to Israeli forces.