![Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) Quds Force, Esmail Qaani in Tehran, December 20, 2022 [Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/GettyImages-1245750403.jpg?fit=920%2C652&ssl=1)
In a notable scene, Brigadier General Esmail Qaani, commander of the Quds Force in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, made a public appearance in central Tehran on Tuesday, taking part in “victory celebrations” held after the ceasefire between Iran and Israel.
His appearance comes in response to Israeli claims that he had been assassinated during recent attacks on Iranian territory.
This is Qaani’s second public appearance in a year, as similar reports of his alleged killing have repeatedly surfaced in Western and Israeli media without conclusive evidence.
Photos showed Qaani walking through the celebration site, speaking to citizens, and surrounded by guards — a clear message rejecting the rumours of his death.
The official Iranian news agency IRNA described the images as showing Qaani’s first appearance after 12 days of Israeli aggression, in reference to the Israeli military campaign — supported by the United States — which struck various military, nuclear, and civilian sites inside Iran.
READ: Iran’s parliament votes to suspend cooperation with International Atomic Energy Agency
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