Contradictions of the Islamic Republic Regarding Razi; The 'Diplomat' Who Was 'Responsible for Supporting the Resistance Front'

One day after the killing of Razi Mousavi, one of the highest-ranking commanders of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Syria, in an airstrike near Damascus, conflicting narratives from Iranian officials about him and the nature of his activities continue. Iranian websites reported, citing Hossein Akbari, the Iranian ambassador to Syria, that Razi's house was targeted by 'three missiles' and his body was 'thrown into the yard.' The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also stated in a statement that Mousavi was a 'comrade' of Qassem Soleimani and 'responsible for supporting the Resistance Front' in Syria. Iranian officials refer to the militia groups in the Middle East that they provide weapons and money to as the 'Resistance Front.' This statement from the IRGC comes as Hossein Akbari described Razi Mousavi as a 'diplomat and second adviser at the embassy' of Iran, stating that he had a 'diplomatic passport and diplomatic residency' in Syria and that 'according to the 1961 and 1973 international conventions, this attack is considered a crime' committed by Israel. Additionally, Daniel Hagari, a spokesman for the Israeli army, refrained from officially stating that Israel targeted Razi. Hagari told a Reuters reporter who asked him to respond to the killing of Mousavi and reports of Israel's involvement in this attack that he does not comment on 'foreign reports.' However, he stated that the duty of the Israeli army is to protect Israel's security interests. Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, who is also a military figure with a background in the IRGC, stated that Razi 'untangled every problem in the field.' The term 'field' has been used in recent years in the Islamic Republic to refer to the IRGC's military activities abroad. The Islamic Republic provides financial and military support to militia groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad that engage with Israel. On the other hand, Agence France-Presse reported, citing the 'Syrian Observatory for Human Rights,' which gathers news from Syrian government opponents based in London, that in addition to Razi, 'two foreign fighters and one Syrian fighter were also killed in the Israeli attack.' Razi is the highest-ranking IRGC official killed outside Iran in the past four years. Ibrahim Raisi, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, stated on Monday that the Islamic Republic will take revenge for Razi's killing. Iranian officials made similar threats after the killing of Qassem Soleimani, the former commander of the Quds Force, in a U.S. drone strike near Baghdad airport, and they continue to claim that this 'hard revenge' has not yet been taken following a missile attack on a base hosting American forces (Ain al-Asad). In the IRGC's missile attack on Ain al-Asad base in Iraq, no American forces were killed. However, shortly after, a Ukrainian passenger plane was shot down by two missiles from the IRGC minutes after taking off from Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran, killing all passengers. The Islamic Republic has a history of using the title 'diplomat' for intelligence and military agents. For example, a previous 'diplomat' named Assadollah Assadi was arrested for attempting to bomb a gathering of the Mojahedin-e Khalq organization in Paris and was convicted in a court in Belgium. He was arrested in Germany and, after being transferred to Belgium, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2021. Assadollah Assadi was the 'third secretary of the Iranian embassy' in Vienna. The Islamic Republic rejected the accusations and evidence against him, emphasizing his diplomatic immunity. In June of this year, Iranian officials managed to exchange Assadi for a Belgian aid worker detained in Iran. Western experts say that the Islamic Republic effectively takes foreign nationals and dual citizens hostage to exert pressure on other countries. This report utilized materials published on Iranian websites, Reuters, Agence France-Presse, and previous reports from Voice of America.