Tribute to Qasim Souleimani

Soleimani became head of the Quds Force in 1998 and kept a low profile for years while he strengthened Iran's ties with Hezbollah in Lebanon, Syria's al-Assad and Shia militia groups in Iraq. He stepped into the limelight in recent years, appearing alongside Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other Shia leaders. Soleimani acquired celebrity status at home and abroad as leader of the Quds Force, the foreign arm of the IRGC, and for his key role in fighting in Syria and Iraq and spreading Iranian influence in the Middle East, which the United States and Tehran's regional foes Saudi Arabia and Israel have struggled to keep in check.