As leader of Iran's elite Quds Force, General Qasem Soleimani was instrumental in the spread of Iranian influence across the Middle East. He personally oversaw dozens of operations in the region and led Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria.
How Soleimani Spread Iran's Influence Across The Middle East
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Qasem Soleimani became commander of the Quds Force in 1998, the foreign arm of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. Under Soleimani's leadership, the Quds Force expanded Tehran's influence beyond Iran's borders and throughout the Middle East -- from Lebanon and Yemen to Iraq and Syria.
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Plumes of smoke rise from the U.S. Embassy compound in March 2008 after Iranian-backed militias shelled Baghdad's Green Zone. Quds Force commander Soleimani played such a pivotal role in Iraq’s security through various militia groups that U.S. General David Petraeus, the overall head of U.S. forces in Iraq at the time, sent messages to him through Iraqi officials.
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Soleimani personally oversaw dozens of operations by Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria.
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Despite being rivals in the Middle East, the United States and Iran shared a mutual enemy -- Islamic State militants. Soleimani commanded Iran-backed militias in Iraq near the front line in Salahuddin Province during a 2015 offensive against IS fighters.