General Qassem Soleimani: Iran's Regional Pointman

By some counts the most popular figure in Iran, Revolutionary Guards commander Qassem Soleimani is also one of the most powerful in the region and seen as a deadly adversary by the US and its allies

Tehran, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th May, 2018 ) :By some counts the most popular figure in Iran, Revolutionary Guards commander Qassem Soleimani is also one of the most powerful in the region and seen as a deadly adversary by the US and its allies.

General Soleimani, who heads the external operations Quds Force for the Guards, was again showing his regional clout this week as AFP sources reported his direct involvement in top-level talks over the formation of the new Iraqi government.

It is no surprise for a man who has been at the centre of power-broking in the region for two decades.

Where once he kept to the shadows, Soleimani has lately become an unlikely celebrity in Iran -- replete with a huge following on Instagram.

His profile rose suddenly when he was pushed forward as the public face of Iran's intervention in the Syrian conflict from 2013, appearing in battlefield photos, documentaries -- and even being featured in a music video and animated film.

To his fans and enemies alike, the 61-year-old is the key architect of Iran's regional influence, leading the fight against jihadist forces and extending Iran's diplomatic heft in Iraq, Syria and beyond.