General Qassem Suleimani, the once rarely seen commander of the powerful Quds Force, has become the public face of Irans support for the Iraqi and Syrian governments. (File photo: ISNA)[/caption]An influential Iranian general who has reportedly been near the front line against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) was quoted Thursday saying the militants are nearing the end of their lives.
General Qassem Suleimani, the once rarely seen commander of the powerful Quds Force, has become the public face of Irans support for the Iraqi and Syrian governments against militants.
He has frequently been pictured on social media in Iraq with pro-government forces, including Kurdish fighters and Shiite militia units in battle areas.
Considering the heavy defeats suffered by Daesh and other terrorist groups in Iraq and Syria, we are certain these groups are nearing the end of their lives, Suleimani was quoted as saying by the semi-official Fars news agency, using an Arabic acronym for ISIS.
His remarks came in a speech made on Wednesday in his home province of Kerman to mark the 36th anniversary of Irans Islamic revolution.
Suleimani also said Tehrans regional influence was growing.
Today we see signs of the Islamic revolution being exported throughout the region, from Bahrain to Iraq and from Syria to Yemen and North Africa, he said.
The arrogants and Zionists have admitted, more than before, to their own weakness and to the Islamic republics power, following their successive defeats, he said.
Iranian officials often use the term arrogants to refer to the United States and other Western powers, while Zionists is used in Tehran to refer to Israel without acknowledging its existence as a state.
ISIShas seized control of large parts of Syria and Iraq, declaring an Islamic caliphate and committing widespread atrocities.
Suleimani reportedly landed in Baghdad hours after IS overran Mosul in June and led the anti-jihadist counter-attack at the head of Irans deep military involvement in Iraq.
The Quds Force - the foreign wing of Irans elite Revolutionary Guards - conducts sensitive security functions abroad, including intelligence, special operations and political action deemed necessary to protect the Islamic republic.
By Al Arabiya
