Lieutenant General Hajj Qassem Soleimani is widely remembered as one of the most influential military figures in Iran’s post-revolutionary history. As commander of the Quds Force, he played a decisive role in shaping Iran’s regional strategy, particularly in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and beyond. However, speakers at the conference emphasized that Soleimani should not be understood solely through the lens of military command.
According to this perspective, Soleimani embodied a unique synthesis of strategic vision, political intelligence, cultural sensitivity, and diplomatic intuition. He maintained close relationships with political leaders, militia commanders, tribal elders, and religious figures across the region, often operating in spaces where traditional diplomacy alone proved insufficient.
This multifaceted role, conference participants argued, made Soleimani an unconventional but highly effective actor in regional politics—one who blurred the boundaries between soldier and diplomat, strategist and negotiator.
