Quds Chief Qaani Shatters Death Rumors, Leads Tehran in Funeral for Slain General Amid Tensions

In a highly charged atmosphere, Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani made his first public appearance in weeks, dispelling rumors of his death as he led the funeral procession for General Abbas Nilforoushan, a senior officer in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. Nilforoushan, along with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut, escalating the already intense Iran-Israel conflict. Thousands gathered in Tehran's Imam Hossein Square, waving Hezbollah, Iranian, and Palestinian flags, and chanting anti-Israel slogans. The event came as tensions soared following Iran’s retaliatory missile strikes on Israel.