ISLAMABAD – Two days after Israel attacked Hezbollah’s headquarters in southern Beirut, which resulted in the death of several Hezbollah commanders, including Hassan Nasrallah, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), officially confirmed the death of Abbas Nilfroushan, the commander of the Quds Force in Lebanon.

Following Israel’s Friday night strike on Hezbollah’s stronghold in Dahiya, Iranian media reported the death of the IRGC Quds Force commander.

The delay in the official announcement of his death remains unexplained.

Nilfroushan is the second senior IRGC Quds Force commander in Lebanon to be targeted and killed by Israel in the last six months.

Brig Gen Nilfroushan served as the deputy commander of Quds Force operations since 2018. In April of this year, he succeeded Mohammad Reza Zahedi, who was killed in an attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, taking command of the IRGC Quds Force in Lebanon and Syria.

Following the IRGC’s announcement on Sunday, Iran’s embassy in Beirut issued a statement, calling the deaths of Nilfroushan and “resistance leaders” a symbol of the “bloodshed” that unites nations against common threats.

According to Iranian state television, Nilfroushan played a “key role in coordinating resistance forces in the region” and was an “unwavering supporter of the resistance”.

The “Axis of Resistance” refers to the alliance of Iran-backed militias across the Middle East, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, as well as militias in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen’s Ansarullah.

Iranian TV also broadcast footage from mourning ceremonies at Nilfroushan’s family home in Isfahan, where a Maddah – a religious singer who recite or sing at the funerals or anniversaries – threatened the United States, vowing that “the infidels will soon face retribution”.

WHO WAS NILFROUSHAN?

Nilfroushan was born in 1966 in the city of Isfahan. According to the Tasnim news agency, he left school at the age of 14 and, by “altering his birth certificate”, increased his age by two years to join the front lines of the war with Iraq.

Tasnim reports that at 17, Nilfroushan took command of a division in Isfahan’s “14th Imam Hossein Division” and remained with the unit until late 1983. He later joined the “8th Najaf Division,” where he was responsible for operations until the end of the Iran-Iraq war, overseeing military efforts.

Following the war, he briefly served as the deputy commander of the IRGC at the Imam Hossein military camp.

Iranian media also report that Nilfroushan earned a “doctorate in strategic management from Imam Hossein University” and served as the commander of “Dafos”, Iran’s military war university, from 2009 to 2013.

ATROCIOUS CRIME:

In his condolence message, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the killing of the IRGC commander as an “atrocious crime” by Israel and emphasized that this action “will not go unanswered.”

The foreign minister stated that they will utilize all political, diplomatic, legal, and international avenues to “pursue the criminals and their supporters”.

Araghchi warned that Israel “will not find peace” following the killing of Nasrallah, the secretary general of Lebanon’s Hezbollah. He stated that the natural consequence of this act would be the “accelerated decline of the Zionist regime.”

Speaking to reporters, Araghchi remarked, “Everyone is aware of the looming risk of a full-scale war in the region, and the concern is widespread. This poses a significant threat. We are truly in a state of alert. Regional and global powers must understand that the situation is extremely volatile, and anything could happen at any moment.”

Referring to statements made by the foreign ministry and his official social media posts, Araghchi also accused the United States of being “complicit in this crime”.

Although he described the killing of Nasrallah as a “great loss”, Araghchi emphasized that “the resistance will not be weakened,” and that Nasrallah’s “blood will only empower Hezbollah, giving it greater strength and resolve”.

POLITICAL ASSASSINATION:

Meanwhile, according to the Russian Interfax news agency, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov condemned the killing of Nasrallah, calling it a “political assassination.” He stated, “Israel aims to create a pretext for the direct involvement of the United States in this conflict, and will try to provoke Iran and Hezbollah in any way possible to achieve its goals.”

Lavrov further cautioned that “Iranian leaders must act with great responsibility, and every reaction should be carefully considered.”

In his first reaction to Nasrallah’s death, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei declared, “All Muslims have to stand proudly with the people of Lebanon and Hezbollah in any way they can”.

DON’T INTERCEPT ANYTHING:

Some believe that Iran’s allied militias in the Middle East are preparing to target Israeli and US interests and military bases across the region.

The “Al-Nujba” movement, an Iraqi militia, has declared that all American bases and warships in the region are now within its sights. The group also announced via its X (formerly Twitter) account that all its military units are on high alert.

In addition, Iranian-backed militias in Iraq have issued warnings to Arab countries — particularly Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt — not to intercept any attacks from the axis of jihad and resistance against Israel.

Al-Nujba stated that any country using drones to intercept rocket attacks will be considered a “Zionist enemy.” Other Iraqi armed factions have similarly announced their readiness for a “long-term war” with Israel.

GROWING ADVENTURISM: 

Pakistan strongly condemned “Israel’s growing adventurism in the Middle East,” stating that “the regime’s rampant attacks on civilians and blatant disregard for international laws have reached an alarming level.”

In its statement, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday called on the UN Security Council to “halt Israel’s actions in the region, prevent further violations of international law, and restore peace in the Middle East.”

Meanwhile, the United States, France, and the United Kingdom have renewed their calls for a ceasefire along the Lebanon-Israel border.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barro has also traveled to Lebanon to de-escalate tensions.