Brigadier General Abbas Nilforoushan, the Deputy Commander of Operations for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was killed alongside Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Israeli airstrikes in Beirut.
On the night of September 27, several accounts affiliated with the IRGC expressed concerns about the health of Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah in Lebanon, and “Haj Abbas.” First, there were reports of the death of a high-ranking IRGC commander referred to as “Haj Abbas.” Later that night, the newspaper Keyhan reported that some sources had stated Brigadier General Abbas Nilforoushan, the commander of the Quds Force in Lebanon, had been killed in an Israeli attack earlier that day, even before the official announcement.
Final Social Media Post
The incident occurred shortly after Nilforoushan’s final post on a social media account. In the post, he made a cryptic statement: “Wounds for wounds; do not struggle. You will not live to see 81. We will leave the western side open, but the condition is knowing how to swim.” referring to Israel’s existence and its officials. Some users have commented under his post, noting that he did not live to see 59.
Nilforoushan’s name has joined the list of commanders who have been assassinated by Israeli forces in recent years. The list includes Muhammad Reza Zahedi, who was killed in an Israeli missile strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus. After Zahedi’s death, Nilforoushan reportedly took over as the commander of Lebanon within the IRGC.
Similar to Nilforoushan, several IRGC commanders who have been killed in Syria, Lebanon, or Iraq, such as Hassan Shateri, Hossein Hamedani, Qassem Soleimani, and Seyyed Reza Mousavi also played roles in the suppression of domestic protests in Iran over the years.
Sanctioned by the West
He was one of the key figures in suppressing the woman. Life, Freedom protests, which began in Iran in September 2022.
Following the violent actions against demonstrators, which the United States condemned as “savage,” Nilforoushan was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department. Other commanders, including Mohammed Kazemi and Ahmad Shafahi were also included in the sanctions.
On December 7, 2022, Nilforoushan stated that “for subversion, one must pass through a sea of blood,” and for similar reasons, he and 17 others were added to the European Union’s sanctions list.
Nilforoushan’s Rise Through the Ranks of IRGC
Born in Isfahan in 1966, Nilforoushan began his military activities in the 1980s. He joined the IRGC after the 1979 revolution and participated in the Iran-Iraq war, serving in the “14th Imam Hossein Division” and the “8th Najaf Armoured Division.” After the war, he rose to various positions within the IRGC, including Deputy Commander of Ground Forces Operations. In July 2019, he was appointed Deputy Commander of Operations by Hossein Salami, the IRGC’s commander-in-chief.
Iranian media outlets describe him as one of the key figures in strengthening the ideals of the “Resistance.” They claim that his strategic presence behind the scenes in military and diplomatic affairs has empowered the Resistance Forces against the continuous threats posed by the Israeli regime.
Long History of Violence and Threats
A review of Nilforoushan’s statements reveals that he consistently took military positions against Israel and made threats. In 2021, during a ceremony commemorating Qassem Soleimani, he emphasised the influence of the Resistance in the Middle East, stating, “Soleimani’s followers will soon bring the Zionist criminals out of their hiding places in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and avenge the blood of the Palestinians.”
He recounted Soleimani’s role in the 33-day Lebanon war and the resistance against Israel. He mentioned that the U.S. sought to stop the Resistance by assassinating Soleimani, “but his martyrdom only strengthened the Resistance front. Today, the U.S. has no choice but to leave the region.”
In April 2022, Nilforoushan emphasised Iran’s military power, declaring that the country now possesses “the region’s greatest missile and drone capabilities.” He stated that these capabilities were based on indigenous knowledge and would continue to grow.
Nilforoushan also discussed the IRGC’s influence beyond Iran’s borders, stating that the IRGC had “smartly” extended its defence of the nation and Islam beyond its frontiers. He added that the IRGC was not only ensuring border security but also actively involved in disaster response and national infrastructure development, helping to shift the region’s balance of power in Iran’s favour.
Regarding Israel, Nilforoushan believed that “America’s retreat from Afghanistan was a major victory for the region’s nations.” However, he warned that the U.S. would not give up easily and would bolster Israel. “Following the decline of their hegemony in the region, the Americans are seeking alternative plans to secure the occupying regime of Israel and delay their downfall.”
Addressing Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s Prime Minister, he said, “Mr. Netanyahu, stop struggling. The aftershocks of revolution’s earthquake are approaching the streets of Tel Aviv. Stop conspiring. The more you struggle, the deeper you will sink into the swamp of your own collapse.”
Nilforoushan also failed to assess the Taliban after they seized power in Afghanistan correctly. He said, “I believe the Taliban have now understood that Afghanistan is made up of various ethnic groups and sects, and together, they form Afghanistan. I think the Taliban have reached a proper understanding of this and can no longer ignore the role of ethnic groups or women in Afghanistan.”
Nilforoushan frequently used a threatening tone when addressing foreign countries. In 2023, he warned Western nations, “We warn the West not to repeat past mistakes. Don’t make us put our boots from the 1980s back on, or you’ll find yourselves begging again. We settle accounts with our enemies, and we don’t leave debts unpaid; you can ask the Zionist regime about that.”
However, the Islamic Republic has faced numerous unresolved issues in the past three months, and no new official statements have addressed them.
Impact on Regional Dynamics
The IRGC commander also threatened regional countries. Referring to the IRGC’s attacks on targets in Iraqi Kurdistan and northern Iraq in 2023, he said, “Under no circumstances will we allow threats to form around our country, and we’ve repeatedly stated that no country will tolerate threats along its borders.”
He stated that the attacks on “enemy” bases in northern Iraq were a response to “counter-revolutionary” forces attempting to “create unrest” in Iran. Nilforoushan emphasised, “We have informed our friends in the Kurdish region that it is unacceptable to allow enemies of the Islamic Revolution to seek refuge there.”
Regarding the 2022 protests, Nilforoushan believed that foreign “enemies” played a significant role, claiming they had manipulated the minds of Iranian youth to incite “riots.” He said, “In the recent riots, the enemy had worked on the minds of some of our youth, and since we wanted to reclaim our children, we handled the situation leniently. If we had chosen to confront them as they did, these incidents would have ended much sooner.”
He also emphasised the role of European countries in these protests, particularly their efforts to label the IRGC as a terrorist organisation. He cautioned, “Some political dwarfs in the European Parliament attempted to take a dangerous step by trying to place the IRGC on their so-called terrorist list.” Nilforoushan’s death is a significant loss for the IRGC. His death marks the end of a chapter in Iran’s history.
Source » iranwire