Iran's Quds Force Commander seen alive after death rumors: Reports
Tehran: Iran’s top military commander, Brigadier General Esmail Qaani, appeared in public on Tuesday, putting to rest rumors that he had been killed in an Israeli airstrike. Qaani, who leads the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) Quds Force, was seen attending a public event in Tehran celebrating what Iran called its victory over Israel, reports Turkish news agency Anadolu Ajansı.
Iran’s Tasnim News Agency shared a video showing Qaani among a cheering crowd. “Commander Qaani attends today’s gathering of the people of Tehran following Operation Divine Victory,” the agency posted on social media.
According to Anadolu Ajansı, Iran’s state-run Press TV also confirmed his presence, showing footage of the general being warmly welcomed by citizens.
Earlier this month, reports from The New York Times had claimed that Qaani might have been killed during Israeli airstrikes.
Since June 13, Israel has launched multiple airstrikes across Iran, targeting military and nuclear sites. Israel said it acted because Iran was close to making a nuclear weapon, an accusation Iran has strongly denied.
In response, Iran fired back with missile and drone attacks. The situation escalated when the United States also entered the conflict, bombing three nuclear sites in Iran on Sunday.
After nearly two weeks of intense air attacks between Iran and Israel, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire late Tuesday night, bringing a temporary halt to the fighting.
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Foreign Secretary Misri reviews defence, trade ties, West Asia with senior US officials
Washington (PTI): India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met senior US officials here and discussed ways to further deepen the defence and trade relations and exchanged views on the developments in the Indo-Pacific and West Asia.
On a three-day visit here, Misri met under secretaries Michael Duffey and Elbridge Colby in the Department of Defence, and under secretaries Jeffrey Kessler and William Kimmitt in the Department of Commerce.
“Sustaining the momentum of India-US defence exchanges, Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri had another wide ranging conversation with Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby @USWPColby at the Pentagon, covering the ongoing developments in the Indo-Pacific region and West Asia,” the Indian Embassy in the US said in a post on X.
Colby visited India last month and met Misri in New Delhi on the sidelines of the India-US Defence Policy Group meeting.
Misri also had a “fruitful interaction” with Duffey, the Under Secretary in the Department of Defence for Acquisition and Sustainment, at the Pentagon near here.
“Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri had a fruitful interaction with the Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment Mike Duffey @USDASDuffey at the Pentagon,” the Indian Embassy said in another post on X.
The two principals discussed ways to further deepen the defence industrial, technology and supply chain linkages between India and the US, in line with the ambitious goals laid out in the Framework for the bilateral Major Defence Partnership signed last year, the embassy said.
Misri also met under secretaries Jeffrey Kessler and William Kimmitt in the Department of Commerce here.
Kessler is the Under Secretary for Bureau of Industry and Security, while Kimmitt is the Under Secretary for International Trade Administration.
“Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri met Under Secretaries Jeffrey Kessler @BISgov and William Kimmitt @TradeGov to expand cooperation in commercial and critical technologies – key to transforming the India-US partnership for the 21st century. They also discussed building resilient and trusted supply chains,” the embassy said.
Misri is visiting the US to review bilateral trade and defence relations and discuss global developments, including the crisis in West Asia.
His visit comes as both the US and India work to stabilise the ties after a spell of uncertainty and strain.
The relations witnessed a major downturn after the US imposed punitive tariffs on India, and President Donald Trump made controversial assertions regarding his role in de-escalating the India-Pakistan military clashes last May.
