TEHRAN – An advisor to the chief commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has confirmed that Brigadier General Esmail Qaani is in good health and is expected to be awarded the Order of Fat'h (Conquest) by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, in the coming days.

This statement, made by Brigadier General Ebrahim Jabbari on Wednesday, comes in response to various Western media reports speculating about General Qaani's condition, suggesting he may have been injured or killed in a recent Israeli airstrike targeting senior Hezbollah figure Hashem Safieddine in Beirut’s southern Dahiyeh neighborhood.

Additionally, General Qaani has sent a message to the 7th International Conference on Solidarity with Palestinian Children and Adolescents, where he expressed his apologies for being unable to attend due to commitments to another important meeting. 

Despite these assurances, there have been ongoing reports from Western outlets indicating uncertainty surrounding General Qaani’s recent whereabouts, with critics suggesting Iranian officials have been uncharacteristically quiet about this prominent military leader.

The prestigious Order of Fat’h is conferred on individuals who achieve significant military victories.

Esmail Qaani was appointed as the head of the IRGC Quds Force by Ayatollah Khamenei on January 3, 2020, following the assassination of Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani by the United States. General Qaani is recognized as a key commander during the Iran-Iraq War, which lasted from 1980 to 1988, and served as the Quds Force's deputy commander prior to his current role.

Recently, Ayatollah Khamenei awarded the Order of Fat'h to Brigadier General Amir-Ali Hajizadeh, the commander of the IRGC’s Aerospace Division, in recognition of significant military achievements. This honor was bestowed shortly after Iran launched a substantial missile strike on Israeli military and intelligence positions in Tel Aviv, further underscoring the ongoing tensions in the area.