The life of Qassem Soleimani, Iran's revered military mastermind who fought the US for years until he was killed in an airstrike

Soleimani was the commander of the Quds Force, a faction of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps in Iran.
Soleimani was instrumental in Iran's foreign policy in the Middle East over the last decade, particularly during the Syrian civil war and the fight against ISIS in Iraq.
The general was revered in Iran to an extent totally unheard of in the modern West. Iranians idolized him in the way that Americans looked up to World War II generals like George Patton, and Brits admired the Duke of Wellington.
From his humble beginnings on a farm in Kerman to a seat in Iran's elite inner circle, here is everything you need to know about his life and rise to power.
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Early Friday morning the US launched a military strike on Baghdad airport, killing top Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani.

As the commander of the Quds Force, he was considered to have been one of the most powerful figures in Iran, and played a prominent role in Iran's foreign policy in the Middle East over the last decade.

Soleimani was revered by ordinary Iranians in a way that would be almost inconceivable to people in the modern West.

Iranians idolized him in the way that Americans looked up to World War II generals like George Patton, and Brits admired 19th century military leaders like the Duke of Wellington.

His death has led to the announcement of three days of mourning in the country, and one military commander was so moved by his death that he broke down in tears on live television after learning the news.

Despite his elite status in the Iranian political system, Soleimani came from very humble beginnings.

From growing up on a farm in Kerman to heading the Quds Force faction of the IRGC, here is everything you need to know about Soleimani's life, rise to power, and ultimate death.

Soleimani was born on 11 March 1957. At the time, Iran was ruled by a monarchy headed by Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Fars News

Source: Sky News

He was born in the village of Qanat-Malak in Rabor, Kerman, around 700 miles from the Iranian capital, Tehran. He was born into a humble family of farmers.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Google Maps

Source: Radio Farda

At age 13 he moved to the city of Kerman in order to work in construction to pay a debt his father owed.

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STR/AFP via Getty Images

Source: Radio Farda, Al Jazeera

In his free time, Soleimani attended sermons by Ali Khamenei, who went on to become Irans second and current Supreme Leader. In the lead up to the Iranian revolution of 1979 he also worked to organise demonstrations in opposition to the Shah.

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AP Photo/Michel Lipchitz

Source: Sky News, Foreign Policy

Following the Iranian revolution which ousted the Shah and established the Islamic Republic of Iran, Soleimani joined the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).

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Vahid Salemi/AP

The IRGC is a faction of the army which was set up in order to defend the country's Islamic system, and is considered the most elite of all regiments in Iran's armed forces.

Source: Sky News, BBC

Shortly after he was sent to the front lines in the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988). He emerged a distinguished figure in the Iranian armed forces after carrying out a series of reconnaissance missions in Iraq.

BusinessInsider USA Images

via The Long War Journal

Source: Bloomberg, Al Jazeera , The Guardian

In 1998, Khamenei made Soleimani the head of the Quds Force, a unit within the IRGC which handles Irans foreign military operations.

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REUTERS/Stringer

Source: Reuters

He kept a relatively low profile for a while, but in 2005 Soleimani became more prominent in Iraqs Shia political groups, the dominant strand of Islam in the country.

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(AFP/Mehdi Ghasemi/ISNA)

The Quds force was accused of supplying explosive devices to fighters in Iraq in 2007, which were used against American soldiers, according to Sky News.

Source: Sky News , Al Jazeera

In 2010, Soleimani reportedly sent a message to General David Petraeus, who was head of the US forces in Iraq at the time, saying the following: "You should know that I, Qassem Soleimani, control the policy for Iran with respect to Iraq, Lebanon, Gaza, and Afghanistan."

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Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP

In 2011, as the Syrian civil war broke out Solaimani sent Iranian-backed militias into the country to support President Bashar Assad. Iran became a key ally of Syria through the war under Soleimanis leadership.

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Thomson Reuters

Source: Al Jazeera

He was reportedly involved in drawing up a strategy for Assad to help him with violent crackdowns on opposition groups in Syria, as well as training government allied militias in the country.

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REUTERS

Source: BBC

However it was his prominent role in fighting ISIS in Iraq that led to his wider recognition, and won Soleimani widespread support inside Iran.

BusinessInsider USA Images

via The Long War Journal

In 2015 he was the face of the successful offensive which took back the Iraqi city of Tikrit from ISIS control.

Source: BBC, Newsweek

His efforts in fighting the terrorist group were also recognized by western media.

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Newsweek; Twitter;@ebtekarm

Source: Massoumeh Ebtekar/Twitter

He was a household name, often appearing on television and generally popular among the public. In 2016 a poll showed that 76% of Iranians held a favorable view of him.

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Handout/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

His popularity and renown in Iran would seem alien to most in the West, as he was much more prominent than any modern military leaders in major Western powers.

His fame was more akin to that of US World War II generals like George Patton, and 19th century British military leaders like the Duke of Wellington.

Source: Bloomberg

Shia militia fighters also made a music video about him in which soldiers are pictured painting a graffiti portrait of Soleimanis face on a wall whilst music in the background sings his praises.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Aparat/Ahvaz Voice

The video is available to watch here.

As might be expected, he was not seen as favorably in the West. The Quds force was declared a terrorist organization in 2007, and Soleimani himself was sanctioned.

BusinessInsider USA Images

The Long War Journal

Source: Bloomberg

Rumours around his death circulated several time previously, including in 2006 when a military airplane crashed in northwestern Iran and in 2012 after a bombing in Damascus killed top aides of Assad.

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Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP

Source: Associated Press

Late on Thursday night, the US military announced Soleimani had died in an airstrike attack on Baghdad airport. The reports were confirmed by Iranian state media.

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Iraqi Security Media Cell via Reuters

Source: Business Insider, Press TV

Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has promised to retaliate following the strike, and said "severe revenge awaits the criminals who have stained their hands with his & other martyrs blood" but it remains unclear how Iran plans to carry out its promised revenge.

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Reuters

Source: Twitter/Ali Khamenei

The life of Qassem Soleimani, Iran's revered military mastermind who fought the US for years until he was killed in an airstrike

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Soleimani was born on 11 March 1957. At the time, Iran was ruled by a monarchy headed by Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

He was born in the village of Qanat-Malak in Rabor, Kerman, around 700 miles from the Iranian capital, Tehran. He was born into a humble family of farmers.

At age 13 he moved to the city of Kerman in order to work in construction to pay a debt his father owed.

In his free time, Soleimani attended sermons by Ali Khamenei, who went on to become Irans second and current Supreme Leader. In the lead up to the Iranian revolution of 1979 he also worked to organise demonstrations in opposition to the Shah.

Following the Iranian revolution which ousted the Shah and established the Islamic Republic of Iran, Soleimani joined the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).

Shortly after he was sent to the front lines in the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988). He emerged a distinguished figure in the Iranian armed forces after carrying out a series of reconnaissance missions in Iraq.

In 1998, Khamenei made Soleimani the head of the Quds Force, a unit within the IRGC which handles Irans foreign military operations.

He kept a relatively low profile for a while, but in 2005 Soleimani became more prominent in Iraqs Shia political groups, the dominant strand of Islam in the country.

In 2010, Soleimani reportedly sent a message to General David Petraeus, who was head of the US forces in Iraq at the time, saying the following: "You should know that I, Qassem Soleimani, control the policy for Iran with respect to Iraq, Lebanon, Gaza, and Afghanistan."

In 2011, as the Syrian civil war broke out Solaimani sent Iranian-backed militias into the country to support President Bashar Assad. Iran became a key ally of Syria through the war under Soleimanis leadership.

He was reportedly involved in drawing up a strategy for Assad to help him with violent crackdowns on opposition groups in Syria, as well as training government allied militias in the country.

However it was his prominent role in fighting ISIS in Iraq that led to his wider recognition, and won Soleimani widespread support inside Iran.

His efforts in fighting the terrorist group were also recognized by western media.

He was a household name, often appearing on television and generally popular among the public. In 2016 a poll showed that 76% of Iranians held a favorable view of him.

Shia militia fighters also made a music video about him in which soldiers are pictured painting a graffiti portrait of Soleimanis face on a wall whilst music in the background sings his praises.

As might be expected, he was not seen as favorably in the West. The Quds force was declared a terrorist organization in 2007, and Soleimani himself was sanctioned.

Rumours around his death circulated several time previously, including in 2006 when a military airplane crashed in northwestern Iran and in 2012 after a bombing in Damascus killed top aides of Assad.

Late on Thursday night, the US military announced Soleimani had died in an airstrike attack on Baghdad airport. The reports were confirmed by Iranian state media.

Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has promised to retaliate following the strike, and said "severe revenge awaits the criminals who have stained their hands with his & other martyrs blood" but it remains unclear how Iran plans to carry out its promised revenge.

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The life of Qassem Soleimani, Iran's revered military mastermind who fought the US for years until he was killed in an airstrike

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Soleimani was born on 11 March 1957. At the time, Iran was ruled by a monarchy headed by Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

He was born in the village of Qanat-Malak in Rabor, Kerman, around 700 miles from the Iranian capital, Tehran. He was born into a humble family of farmers.

At age 13 he moved to the city of Kerman in order to work in construction to pay a debt his father owed.

In his free time, Soleimani attended sermons by Ali Khamenei, who went on to become Irans second and current Supreme Leader. In the lead up to the Iranian revolution of 1979 he also worked to organise demonstrations in opposition to the Shah.

Following the Iranian revolution which ousted the Shah and established the Islamic Republic of Iran, Soleimani joined the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).

Shortly after he was sent to the front lines in the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988). He emerged a distinguished figure in the Iranian armed forces after carrying out a series of reconnaissance missions in Iraq.

In 1998, Khamenei made Soleimani the head of the Quds Force, a unit within the IRGC which handles Irans foreign military operations.

He kept a relatively low profile for a while, but in 2005 Soleimani became more prominent in Iraqs Shia political groups, the dominant strand of Islam in the country.

In 2010, Soleimani reportedly sent a message to General David Petraeus, who was head of the US forces in Iraq at the time, saying the following: "You should know that I, Qassem Soleimani, control the policy for Iran with respect to Iraq, Lebanon, Gaza, and Afghanistan."

In 2011, as the Syrian civil war broke out Solaimani sent Iranian-backed militias into the country to support President Bashar Assad. Iran became a key ally of Syria through the war under Soleimanis leadership.

He was reportedly involved in drawing up a strategy for Assad to help him with violent crackdowns on opposition groups in Syria, as well as training government allied militias in the country.

However it was his prominent role in fighting ISIS in Iraq that led to his wider recognition, and won Soleimani widespread support inside Iran.

His efforts in fighting the terrorist group were also recognized by western media.

He was a household name, often appearing on television and generally popular among the public. In 2016 a poll showed that 76% of Iranians held a favorable view of him.

Shia militia fighters also made a music video about him in which soldiers are pictured painting a graffiti portrait of Soleimanis face on a wall whilst music in the background sings his praises.

As might be expected, he was not seen as favorably in the West. The Quds force was declared a terrorist organization in 2007, and Soleimani himself was sanctioned.

Rumours around his death circulated several time previously, including in 2006 when a military airplane crashed in northwestern Iran and in 2012 after a bombing in Damascus killed top aides of Assad.

Late on Thursday night, the US military announced Soleimani had died in an airstrike attack on Baghdad airport. The reports were confirmed by Iranian state media.

Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has promised to retaliate following the strike, and said "severe revenge awaits the criminals who have stained their hands with his & other martyrs blood" but it remains unclear how Iran plans to carry out its promised revenge.

FOLLOW BUSINESS INSIDER AFRICA

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