TEHRAN-On January 3, 2024, marking the fourth anniversary of the assassination of Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, the Iranian theater director Kourosh Zarei presented a play titled “The Court” in Baghdad, Iraq.

The performance featured a cast of Iraqi theater actors and took place at the Baghdad International Airport. This location holds historical significance as it is where General Soleimani and eight others were assassinated in the early hours of January 3, 2020.

Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis were killed in a U.S. drone attack at Baghdad International Airport on January 3, 2020. The attack was ordered by the U.S. President at the time, Donald Trump, and they were on a diplomatic mission when they were killed. Soleimani, born in 1957, served in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and was the commander of the Quds Force from 1998 until his assassination, overseeing extraterritorial and clandestine military operations.

Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani played a significant role in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). While the Western coalition had withdrawn, Soleimani assisted Iraqis in countering ISIS, preventing further advances and contributing to the defeat of the terrorist organization in the region.

Within Iran, Soleimani emerged as a popular figure, revered for his role in resisting perceived external threats. His image became synonymous with resilience and defiance. His strategic contributions, particularly in the fight against ISIS, have left an indelible mark on the military landscape of the Middle East.

Tehran Times interviewed Kourosh Zarei, 52, who is also the director of the Art Bureau's Center for Dramatic Arts. During the interview, Zarei shared insights into the cultural perspective and views of General Soleimani.

“Prior to and more than having a military spirit, the general had a cultural spirit and that is how he could relate to the people of Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon. In fact, one of the reasons for Hajj Qassem’s achievements and popularity among the people of Arab countries was this cultural spirit,” Zarei said.

Need for artistic, cultural work

“After the war with the ISIS was over in Iraq and Syria, the general emphasized that cultural and artistic programs needed to be carried out in those countries. It was with his order that our filmmakers and theater directors started to make movies and produce plays there. He was of the opinion that such works would be necessary to improve the morale of the afflicted people in the war-stricken countries,” Zarei added.

“Regarding Iran, he also believed that cultural and artistic programs could address some issues in the society,” the stage director noted.

As Zarei said, the general often visited the art and cultural projects such as behind-the-scenes of film sets and congresses of martyred commanders in different provinces. One of the movies the general visited its production site several times was “Damascus Time” (2018) directed by Ebrahim Hatamikia, which is about two Iranian pilots who embark on a mission to try and save the residents of a Syrian city who are surrounded by the terrorists.

“Hajj Qassem advised others to do artistic and cultural work as he deeply believed in the impact of art on people and society. He encouraged his friends and the people around him especially the cultural sections of the IRGC to carry our art programs and relate to people via art,” Zarei said.

According to him, the general had kind behavior with all sorts of people, whether young or old, men or women and had a fatherly attitude toward others, especially teenagers and young adults.

Last memory

Recalling the last time he met Hajj Qassem, Zarei said: “During the severe flooding in Khuzestan Province in 2019, I went to the flood-stricken regions in the southwestern province together with a group of about 50 theater actors to perform several plays to uplift the spirits of the afflicted people there. On our flight back to Tehran, we met the general and I had a short conversation with him about the projects which were produced on his own suggestions. He was supposed to attend a play that was staged in Syria and work for the martyred commanders' congress in Kerman Province; however, he couldn’t make it due to his busy schedule. ‘We were expecting you,’ I told him. ‘I will come and see your next play, inshallah,’ he said. Nevertheless, this never happened as he was martyred less than a year later and it remained a bitter regret for us to see him attending one of the performances produced on his own recommendation”.

Zarei holds a degree in dramatic arts. He has also a long career in the management of art events such as presiding over the 41st Fajr International Theater Festival last January.

He was also the director of the 7th edition of the Arbaeen Pilgrimage International Theater Festival last August. Held in both countries of Iran and Iraq, coinciding with the large gathering of Shia Muslims in Iraq, the festival included theatrical performances, tazieh, Naqqali (Iranian dramatic story-telling), and Pardeh-khani (a type of storytelling combined with a laudation, accompanied by pictures) for the pilgrims at the Shalamcheh, Khosrovi, Chazabeh, Bashmagh, and Mehran borders as well as in Najaf, Karbala, and along the path of the Arbaeen Walk.

Zarei has previously directed plays in Iraq, Syria, and Tunisia. Among his foreign productions, the play “The Sun Rises from Aleppo” was performed by Syrian actors in the Syrian capital Damascus, and the city of Aleppo.

It narrated an account of Karbala captives who were captured and taken to Sham during the event of Karbala. The piece focused on the events that are related to a Christian monk who lived in a church close to the city of Aleppo at the time that the Karbala massacre happened.

Zarei has also appeared in some TV series including “Jabir ibn Hayyan” (2006), “Prophet Joseph” (2008), “Mokhtarnameh” (2010), “Kimia” (2015), and “Anam” (2018). The movies in which he appeared include “Light of Dawn” (2010), “Hussein Who Said No” (2014), and “Emperor of Hell” (2018).

SS/SAB