Iran’s Quds Force commander, Brigadier General Esmail Qaani, made a short visit to Baghdad on Tuesday, where he met with senior Iraqi officials, political leaders, and commanders of Iran-aligned militias, according to sources speaking to the Arabic edition of Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.
Qaani warned Iraqi leaders that Israel may soon expand its regional military operations to include targets in Iraq. He cautioned that potential Israeli attacks could hit individuals, facilities, camps, and offices linked to Iran-backed groups.
He urged Iraqi leadership to address internal vulnerabilities and warned of possible Israeli infiltration into key state institutions. Accompanying him was Nasser Akhdar, deputy secretary-general of the Islamic Radio and Television Union, a Tehran-backed media body.
Qaani’s visit followed a late-night meeting between several Iraqi militia leaders discussing recent drone strikes in Iraqi Kurdistan—strikes most groups denied involvement in. Sources revealed he met with President Abdul Latif Rashid and passed on Tehran’s fears that the Syrian conflict may spill over into Iraq in the next two months.