The real armed wing of the Revolutionary Guards, the heart of the Iranian Defense are the Quds Forces. The same symbol of the Quds Force summarizes the whole mission in a single image: a punch holding a miter at the top of which is written the sixtieth verse of the eighth Sura of the Koran "Al-Anfal": "Prepare, against them, all the forces you will be able to and the trained horses to terrorize the enemy of Allah and yours and others that you do not know but that Allah knows. All that you spend for the cause of Allah will be returned to you and you will not be harmed. "
The commander of the Quds Force is directly appointed by the Supreme Guide, which maintains a representative within the special unit in order to directly control its activities. Before being approved, an action by the Quds Force follows a precise procedure: the operation is analyzed by the security unit present in the office of the Supreme Guide (the 101 Division). Later it is discussed by the Supreme Council for National Security and at this point it is passed to a special commission formed by the same Supreme Guide, president, by the secretary of the National Security Commission, the Minister of Intelligence (the famous MOIS), the Minister of Defense and the representative of Forza Quds. Only after this step, the control of the operation is taken directly from one of the divisions that make up the component. There are six divisions and they are all functional to the role of the Quds Force: intelligence; financing; training and training; policy; sabotage and operations.
To date, it is estimated that there are around 3000 agents worldwide, with more than 1000 people dedicated to collecting intelligence data. Their commander - now 14 years - is Qassem Solemani and is considered to all intents and purposes the most powerful man in the current Middle East. General, commander of the Quds Force, brings together under his hands all the units of the Guardians of the Revolution with intelligence duties and possibly even military interventions abroad. Personal friend of the Supreme Guide ayatollah Ali Khamenei who called him "living martyr" on several occasions.
Iran after the Russian limelight on the Syrian scene has been reported as one of the main interlocutors between Assad and Putin. A military mediator, who despite what has been said by the main Western strategists has in his hands the fate of Iraqi Kurdistan. The Quds Forces are notorious for their extreme secrecy, the meticulous organization with which they organize operations, confidentiality and the ability to escape any interception. Soleimani, defined for this the shadow commander he is above all a refined military man raised on the battlefields, as well as a devoted Muslim and a staunch defender of the Shiite theocracy in power in Iran. The shadow of Soleimani seems to have shifted its refined capabilities to the government of Damascus a few days ago. The latter city where the largest Intelligence Division managed by the Quds Force seems to have existed for some time. So much so that it is said that a department is already operating together with the Spetsnaz sent to Syria by Putin.
Imagining not taking into account the so-called "Soleimani variable" on the Syrian scene is simplistic to say the least. Solemani is a man and a soldier who has already shown great strategic foresight and determination in pursuing his goals. If Iran were to openly stand against the men of the Caliphate, Putin would not be the only threat the latter should fear.
The cold and enveloping sensation of defeat has already enveloped the enemies of the ruthless several times shadow commander, will the Caliphate be the next on the list?
