30 September marks a year since the Russian military intervention in the Syrian conflict. With this operation firmly associated the name of General Qassem Soleimani — the head of the Iranian special forces “Quds”. This man was one of those who persuaded the Kremlin to launch a military operation in Syria. What to expect from the Iranian General and as widely spread its international influence.
After domestic aviation was located in Syria on a permanent basis in 2015 and began to strike blows at the local terrorist groups, the British news Agency Reuters reported that Iranian General Qassem Soleimani is one of the main “architects” of the operation.
According to them, that Soleimani described the military leadership in Moscow, the scenario of military action in Syria and outlined the possible impact on the situation. During his first alleged visit to the Russian capital (24-26 July 2015), according to Reuters, citing a senior official in the region, Soleimani met with President Vladimir Putin and defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
“Soleimani laid on the table a map of Syria. The Russians were very concerned and felt that the situation was rapidly deteriorating, that was a serious threat to the Assad regime, — says the publication. — The Iranians to convince them that there is an opportunity to seize the initiative. Soleimani then played an important role, assuring them that all is not lost”.
In the same month, Russia sent supply ships through the Bosporus, and on 9 September it became known about participation of Russia in the Syrian conflict — even before the official confirmation of Moscow.
Just know about the four trips of Qasem Soleimani in Moscow in late July, early August, in December 2015, and in mid-April 2016. Information about the first two visits was provided to the same Reuters sources in the American intelligence services and the Iranian government. On follow-up reported by the Iranian news Agency Fars and the American Fox News channel.
An informed source “Газеты.Ru” he confirmed that Soleimani was several times in Moscow, including last winter.
“Kasem trust, discuss with him the delivery of weapons,” he said. The Syrian operation Soleimani discussed with Russian colleagues in 2013, however, the destabilization of the situation in Ukraine slowed down the consultations for two years.
International man of mystery
The representative of US state Department mark Toner said that Washington is inclined to believe the media. He also said that the United States intends to raise the issue of violation of the sanctions regime against Iran in the UN Security Council. My concern about the possible reason was expressed by Secretary of state John Kerry in a telephone call with Sergei Lavrov, but acknowledged that Washington does not have sufficient evidence.
The name of Qasem Soleimani included in the black list of 15 high-ranking military and political figures in Iran who are forbidden to leave the country because of its connection with the development of a military nuclear program.
Against Suleimani and Quds” also apply unilateral U.S. sanctions, which klassificeret “Quds” as an organization assisting terrorism, and personally Qassem Suleimani as a terrorist.
In the Kremlin these messages are perceived as another attempt to tarnish Russia’s reputation.
Press Secretary of the President Dmitry Peskov on the questions of the journalists said that Soleimani meeting with Vladimir Putin clearly was not, although he had no information about whether General in Moscow.
In a similar manner reacted and the Ministry of defence of the Russian Federation. As said “Kommersant” that information to a senior source in the defense Ministry, to discuss issues of bilateral cooperation against the terrorist “Islamic state” enough “to raise up” and not to call to Moscow of the Iranian General, who imposed UN sanctions.
Qassem Soleimani, who has spent most of his life in covert operations abroad by 2016, has earned credibility of the national hero of Iran. About it documentary and feature films, write songs, dedicate earned him awards and sports trophies. The first edition of the collection of the public speeches of General flew from the shelves literally in a matter of days.
Among politicians of the neighboring countries and in America it is known as “a shrewd and frighteningly intelligent strategist, organizer of the subversive and intelligence operations that created a wide network of agents based on Shia communities across the region. As stated by the magazine the New Yorker John Maguire, former CIA officer in Iraq, “today Soleimani is the most powerful figure in the middle East, and no one never heard of him”.
Amateur military
About youth General know very little. Qasem Soleimani has climbed the social ladder thanks to the Islamic revolution of 1979 that overthrew the Shah’s regime.
Qassem Soleimani was born in a poor peasant family in the little mountain village of Rebar Eastern province of Kerman. His father, who received an allotment on the Shah’s reform, had to pay a back-breaking loan. So after finishing only five grades of elementary school, 13-year-old Kasem, with his cousin went to work in the provincial center.
Until the revolution and the ensuing Iran-Iraq war, Suleimani was a laborer, and after the loan payments are settled in Germanskoy water treatment company, where after some time he became assistant engineer. Soleimani did not manage to go to University or undergo serious military training.
Young Soleimani strongly supported the idea of revolution. From the very first day he joined the Islamic revolutionary guards Corps — the IRGC, which subsequently turned into an elite unit, reporting personally to the Supreme leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and has a strong impact on the economy of the country.
40 years ago, however, most corps members had no military training, except for a 45-day courses for new recruits. In the days of the revolution Soleimani performed non-military tasks. He was charged with ensuring the smooth supply of Kerman province. With the task he coped with dignity.
Baptism of the IRGC was the suppression of Kurdish separatism. In this operation, Soleimani did not play a key role, but received his first military experience. Shortly thereafter, the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein attacked Iran, starting a war that lasted eight years. Soleimani went to the front as an expert on water only for two weeks. But managed to stick around: he not only stayed at the front almost the entire war, but did over the years an incredible career. For heroism and bravery Soleimani quickly gained popularity in the army and in just three years moved from a military instructor to the commander of the 41st brigade.
The IRGC played a key role in the Iran-Iraq war of 1980-1988, and Soleimani way or another participated in the preparation of the operations division. It was then that he laid the foundations of his future intelligence network, established contacts with Iraqi Kurdish leaders and the Shia organization Badr, who fought against Saddam Hussein.
Soleimani participated in operations “Badr” during the Shiite uprising against Hussein. After the uprising, the division Soleimani was sent to his native province Soleimani Kerman to fight against corruption and drug trafficking coming from Afghanistan.
Then the commander began to support the Afghan militants of the “Northern Alliance” fighting the radical Taliban, which led the persecution of the Shiites and received help from Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. At some point the two countries were on the brink of war, and Iran has tightened to the Eastern border almost a quarter of a million soldiers. Soleimani was able to prevent the tragedy.
As stated in an interview with the BBC former us Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker, the Iranian commander went on to collaborate with the Americans in fighting the Taliban, despite the official break in diplomatic relations since 1980.
In the early 2000s, had a chance to review the whole political line in the relations with Washington. But in 2002, US President George Bush to report to Congress called Iran part of “axis of evil”, and cooperation was brought to an end.
The winner of Saddam and Washington
Soleimani headed “Quds” in 1998. He reformatted the unit into a tool of Iran’s foreign policy, turning it into something between a special forces and foreign intelligence. Since then, the “Quds” coordinates and directs the activities of the network of Shiite “revolutionaries” opposed to American allies in the region, including Saudi Arabia or Bahrain.
Unit “Quds” Soleimani has played an important role in the overthrow of the regime of Saddam Hussein. By the time Iran has supplied Iraqi Kurds and Shiite militia, a significant military and technical aid, and military instructors into the country under the guise of “Iranian builders.” Soleimani was personally in command of military operations to Iraqi insurgents, he established relationships with most parties and organizations — then he was considered the real master of the situation in Iraq.
After the fall of Hussein’s regime, Soleimani has already had an impact on important political figures in Iraq.
The Shiite Badr, later renamed the “Supreme Council for Islamic revolution in Iraq, regarded themselves as the successor of the ideology of the Islamic revolution of 1979 in Iran.
Iraqi Kurds, in spite of contacts with the United States, have not forgotten that during the war with Saddam Iran has hosted millions of their people. Despite the presence of three contingent of American advisers in Iraq, the influence of the “Quds” was still stronger.
As told Reuters one of the leaders of Badr, Iranian instructors helped in everything from tactical missions to provide technical means. “Americans all these years had contact with the Iraqi army, but never learned to use drones or complex communication network. Al-Hashd al-SHAABI” (mainly the Shiite militia in Iraq, fighting with ISIS. — “Газета.Ru”) meanwhile, with the help of the Iranians learned how to manage them and produce them,” he said.
By the time of the formation of a new Iraqi government in 2010 headed by Nuri al-Maliki, the Iranian secret services under the control Soleimani has had a decisive influence on its composition. So it stuck for the glory of “the puppeteer of the Middle East” and “headache USA”.
Over time, under the leadership of the Iranian General has formed a network of alliances across the region. “No one in Tehran initially thought about creating an axis of resistance, but the events of this favorable, — said one of the Western diplomats in Baghdad The New Yorker magazine. And in each case, Suleimani was smarter, faster, and better resourced than anyone else in the region. He didn’t miss any building block resistance and moving towards its goal slowly but surely.
Soleimani against the “Caliphate”
When Iraqi cities, one after another began to fall into the hands of the “Islamic state”, the network Soleimani instantly reacted. For Iran’s fight against ISIS has become a priority because of the threat to regional security and the spread of radical Sunni Islam — the terrorists are actively destroyed Shiite shrines. Suleimani took command in their hands and were transferred to the Baghdad of his best fighters. With “Quds” connect the major victories of the Iraqi armed forces in Tikrit, Fallujah and Mosul.
When the terrorist “Caliphate” came to Syria, “Quds” was ready.
According to DEBKA, the Israeli resource with strong ties to the security services of the country, Iranian experts in charge of the military operations of the army of Bashar al-Assad on many fronts, as well as coordinate the actions of Lebanese Hezbollah in the fight against ISIS, their allies and the Syrian opposition. Iran official denies the fact of presence of the IRGC in Syria.
In April the Iranian Arabic-language online Al-Alam with reference to the head of intelligence Mahmoud Alavi said that Soleimani President of Syria Bashar al-Assad has strong relationships. In a particularly acute period of the conflict, the Iranian General had proposed to Assad to move his family to Iran, but he refused.
In the spring of 2015 at one of the sites of the Syrian opposition appeared a poster with a picture of the commander of the “Quds”. “Vote for Qassem Soleimani President of Syria” — read the text. The poster was intended as a mockery of Assad, but for such a fun reason.
The other Arab-Iranian online resource with ties to the Syrian opposition Name Sham quoted Assad himself, who reportedly claimed at a meeting: “major General Soleimani has a special place in my heart. If he had a candidate against me, he would have won the election. Here’s how it loves the Syrian people.”
“Soldier to the end”
In Iran, the influence Soleimani was great even before the Syrian conflict has turned it into a political “superstar”. General enjoys the confidence of the Supreme leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, who Soleimani reports directly. Khamenei calls him a “living Martyr” (that is, worthy of the highest rewards in the Islamic Paradise) for his contribution to the cause of Islamic revolution.
Despite the proximity to the conservative wing of the Tehran leadership, in the midst of the student opposition demonstrations 1999, Sulejmani signed a letter to the Iranian President, reformist Mohammad Khatami, expressing their disagreement with the use of weapons during the suppression of the riots. However, after the wave of discontent came to naught, Iran’s secret service kidnapped dozens of protest organizers. Soleimani was well aware of that.
At his mother’s funeral Soleimani in 2013, gathered all the military command, and all political and religious leaders of the country, which speaks of his authority.
John Maguire told reporters The New Yorker about the Iranian General, despite the lack of formal education, well-read and erudite, more intelligent than those around him and has the “discreet charm”.
With such authority Soleimani could begin the struggle for power in Iran. In connection with the upcoming presidential election of 2017 in the Iranian social networks there are calls for Sulejmani to nominate his candidacy.
Mohammed-Reza Bahonar, former first Deputy speaker of the Iranian Majlis, even said he was ready to support such an initiative. “The level of political analysis, he does not yield to the Supreme leader or Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Lebanese Hezbollah, he said.
However, in September Qassem Soleimani made a statement that he has political ambitions and wants to remain a soldier until the end of his days. It is obvious that in the nearest plans at it — the completion of the Syrian campaign. If the completion is successful, the elections in Iran, Soleimani is not required.
