The "Fars" Agency Officially Denies the News of the Death of General Ismail Qaani
Social media platforms in Iran have witnessed a wave of speculation and conflicting news regarding the status of the commander of the Quds Force in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, General Ismail Qaani, following rumors of an assassination attempt against him.
These speculations prompted the Fars News Agency, close to the Revolutionary Guard, to categorically deny the news. The agency published a brief statement via its account on the "X" platform early Saturday morning, stating: "All the rumors that have recently circulated about the assassination and death of Qaani are untrue."
However, this official denial did not stop a wave of mockery and biting comments from some Iranian users, who recalled a previous incident where the agency issued a similar denial regarding the safety of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, before his helicopter crashed two years later.
Activists also shared clips from a previous interview with Commander Qaani, in which he stated: "I had refrained during the Israeli-Iranian war last June from communicating with the other commanders, knowing that Israel monitors and tracks those calls to determine my location and that of other leaders."
In a related context, analyses have emerged confirming that broadcasting such rumors falls within the framework of the psychological warfare between Tehran and Tel Aviv.
Tracking the source of the rumor revealed that a "verified with a blue check" account on the "X" platform attributed to the Israeli Mossad in the Persian domain was the initial spark for launching this rumor, as it posted with a sarcastic hint: "We wish a complete recovery and long life to Qaani... and thank you for your cooperation."
This comes following Iran's announcement of thwarting several cells and arresting "suspects collaborating with the Mossad" in recent months, especially after recent confrontations between the two countries revealed the success of Israeli intelligence in obtaining extensive information about Iranian military activities.
