The death of Brigadier General Abbas Nilforoushan, a high-ranking commander in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has been confirmed following an Israeli airstrike on Hezbollah’s headquarters in Beirut. This loss represents a significant setback for the Iranian regime, as the IRGC itself confirmed that Nilforoushan, a senior officer in the elite Quds Force, was killed during the attack.
The IRGC’s official statement revealed that Nilforoushan, the deputy commander of operations, was present at the Hezbollah headquarters during the strike, which also claimed the life of Hezbollah’s Secretary General, Hassan Nasrallah.
Divided Reactions Within the Iranian Regime
The Iranian regime’s response to recent Israeli attacks has been mixed. Abbas Araghchi, the Iranian Foreign Minister, warned that the Middle East is in a “dangerous situation” and hinted at potential retaliation, though he stopped short of explicitly mentioning military action.
Meanwhile, the regime’s hardline newspaper Kayhan, which represents the views of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has called for war as the only path to peace in the current tense environment.
The Close Ties Between Iran and Hezbollah
Nilforoushan’s death in the Dahieh neighborhood of Beirut underscores the deep military cooperation between Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and Hezbollah. Despite the significance of this event, the Iranian regime has attempted to downplay the news, avoiding public declarations of revenge, a stark contrast to the regime’s response to similar incidents in the past.
For instance, following an Israeli airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus that killed Mohammadreza Zahedi, Iran launched a retaliatory missile and drone attack, known as “Operation True Promise,” on Israeli territory. However, in Nilforoushan’s case, no such “severe revenge” has yet been announced by the regime’s leadership.
Abbas Nilforoushan: A Veteran Commander
Born in Isfahan, Iran, in 1966, Abbas Nilforoushan joined the Basij paramilitary forces at the age of 14, volunteering for service during the Iran-Iraq War. Over the course of the war, he held numerous key positions in the IRGC, including command roles in the 14th Imam Hossein Division and the 8th Najaf Ashraf Armored Division.
After the war, Nilforoushan rose through the ranks, eventually holding senior positions such as deputy operations commander of the IRGC Ground Forces and commander of the IRGC Command and Staff College. From 2019 until his death, he served as the deputy operations commander of the IRGC, a position in which he was closely involved in coordinating military operations abroad, particularly in Lebanon and Syria.
Sanctions and Human Rights Violations
Nilforoushan’s role extended beyond foreign military operations. He also played a key role in suppressing internal dissent within Iran. During the widespread protests of 2009 and 2022, Nilforoushan was instrumental in directing the IRGC’s suppression efforts. In response to these actions, the U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned him in October 2022, alongside 13 other officials, for human rights abuses.
In a speech in June 2023, Nilforoushan issued a stark warning, threatening that the IRGC might return to the harsh tactics of the 1980s in response to further unrest. He had previously dismissed protesters as agents of Western powers, vowing that the regime would survive only by “crossing a sea of blood.”
A Muted Response to His Death
Despite Nilforoushan’s prominent role within the IRGC, his death has received notably less attention in Iranian media compared to the killings of other commanders like Qassem Soleimani and Mohammadreza Zahedi. The cautious tone of the regime’s response may reflect broader concerns about escalating tensions in the region.
Escalating Conflict
Since the onset of Hamas’s attacks on Israel on October 7, the Israeli military has increasingly targeted senior commanders of both Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as the IRGC’s overseas operatives. In addition to Abbas Nilforoushan, other prominent Quds Force commanders, including Mohammadreza Zahedi, Razi Mousavi, and Hojatullah Omidvar, have been killed in Israeli airstrikes.
Between October 2023 and March 2024, at least 18 senior Quds Force commanders have been killed in strikes outside Iran, underscoring the intensifying conflict between Israel and Iran’s regional proxies.
Source » irannewsupdate