Social media is being flooded with reports that Esmail Qaani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has been taken into custody by authorities in Iran over alleged links to Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency. So far, Iranian officials have not issued any official statement about Esmail Qaani, further deepening speculations.
Esmail Qaani survived several assassination attempts in recent months. Some sources also say he was last seen with Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, shortly before disappearing again from public view. Nonetheless, these claims remain unverified and largely based on speculation.
Analysts note that rumours about Qaani’s loyalty have surfaced before, often linked to precision Israeli strikes on senior regional figures. In several past instances, Iranian officials dismissed similar allegations as misinformation or psychological warfare, highlighting the lack of credible evidence.
Background and role
Qaani assumed command of the Quds Force in January 2020 after the killing of his predecessor, Qasem Soleimani, in a US drone strike in Baghdad. The elite unit serves as the IRGC’s external operations arm and oversees Tehran’s regional alliances and military networks.
Since taking leadership, Qaani has maintained a lower public profile than Soleimani while managing Iran’s strategic operations abroad. Despite recurring rumours about his status or safety, Tehran has previously denied claims of detention, espionage, or assassination involving the general.
For now, no official Iranian statement has confirmed the latest reports, leaving the claims unverified amid ongoing regional tensions.
