Qassem Soleimani's Presence at the 10th Parliament's Velayat Faction Meeting

Selected representatives of the 10th Parliament stated on Friday, June 7, that Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, defended Iran's military presence in Syria during a meeting with members of the Velayat faction of the Parliament. According to ISNA, Rasoul Khazari, a member of the Velayat faction, mentioned that Soleimani discussed issues regarding regional security and the threats posed by ISIS, stating that if Iran had not acted effectively against ISIS, this terrorist group could have posed a threat to the national security of the country. The 10th Parliament representative emphasized that Soleimani asserted that Iran's physical presence in Syria and Iraq has ensured the security of the country and thwarted the enemies' plans. Nasser Mousavi Largani, a representative from Falavarjan, also told Fars that Soleimani provided explanations regarding the current situation in Iraq and the 'atrocities' committed by Islamist militants in Syria and Lebanon. Gholamali Jafarzadeh Imanabadi, a representative from Rasht, noted that at least 180 elected representatives attended the meeting, which was not open to journalists. Meanwhile, Fars news agency reported that Hesamoddin Ashna, cultural advisor to the Iranian President, shared a video of Soleimani's speech on his personal Facebook page, stating: 'Let us keep Haj Qassem at the mythical peak of defending the sanctuaries; let us not allow him to be dragged into the battle of keys and pliers like Mohsen and Baqer.' This seems to reference the war in Syria and the remarks made by Mohsen Rezaei, a former commander of the IRGC, and Baqer Qalibaf during the 11th presidential election debates. During the debate between Hassan Rouhani and Baqer Qalibaf, the topic of the attack on the protests of 2003 was raised, with Qalibaf having been present as the police chief at the time. In recent months, speculations have arisen regarding the possibility of Soleimani's candidacy in the 2017 presidential elections, with some media quoting Mehdi Taeb, head of the Ammar Strategic Base, referring to Soleimani as the best candidate for the upcoming presidential election.