A Blog by the Editor of The Middle East Journal

Putting Middle Eastern Events in Cultural and Historical Context

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Senior IRGC Commander Killed (in Syria?)

Iran has announced that a senior Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Commander, Haj Hassan Shateri, has been killed "by Zionist agents" "outside Iran." While one of the reports says he was in charge of "reconstruction efforts in Lebanon," the fact that the commander of the IRGC Quds force, the force responsible for overseas operations, offered condolences to the family suggests a more operational responsibility, and there are reports saying he was killed in Syria. If so, the "Zionist agents" claim is likely diversionary. While Israeli agents have no live for IRGC commanders, there have been allegations of IRGC forces providing support for the Asad regime in the Syrian conflict. That seems at first glance to be the likeliest explanation here.

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