Iran's IRGC Quds Force Leader Shows Up In Tehran Streets After Reports Of His Death

A week ago there were widespread reports and rumors that Israeli airstrikes and targeted assassinations in Iran had killed Esmail Qaani, who in 2020 had succeeded the top Iranian IRGC Quds Force general Qassem Soleimani, killed by a US strike in Baghdad.

But on Tuesday Qaani appeared before crowds in Tehran, as Iranians take to the streets to support the military and assert their defiance following Israeli and US bombs falling on the country during the current ceasefire.

"Several news outlets affiliated with Iran-allied groups, including the Houthis’ Al Masirah TV, have shared footage they say shows Esmail Qaani, head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’s Quds Force, among the rallying crowds in Tehran," Al Jazeera writes.

"If confirmed, the videos would dispel reports that Qaani was assassinated by Israel," the report concludes.

Below is video which disproves (assuming it is not a deepfake or impersonator) that Qaani was not killed in an Israeli airstrike last week:

Iran's Quds Force commander Qaani reportedly shows up in Tehran. Iranian state media says he is alive. pic.twitter.com/U1t5siDJcP

— Clash Report (@clashreport) June 24, 2025

This latest flare-up in fighting between Israel and Iran is actually not the first time Qaani has falsely been reported dead.

Israeli broadcasters are featuring the video of his appearance Tuesday in Iranian streets, after the initial claim spread quickly in Israeli media…

תיעוד: איסמאעיל קאאני, מפקד כוח קודס במשמרות המהפכה, השתתף ב"חגיגות הניצחון" בטהראן - ובכך הזים את הדיווחים על חיסולו @OmerShahar123 pic.twitter.com/ieFP9atcxi

— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) June 24, 2025

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/irans-irgc-quds-force-leader-shows-tehran-streets-after-reports-his-death

Who Is Jiang Xueqin? Professor’s viral video from 2024 predicted Trump’s return and U.S. role in Israel-Iran war

A key theme of Jiang’s lecture is the idea that both historical patterns and game theory can be used to accurately predict future events. His channel Predictive History attempts to do just that, offering what he calls “play-by-play previews of history before it happens.”

A video by Chinese educator and historian Jiang Xueqin is going viral across social media platforms after many of the geopolitical scenarios he outlined over a year ago are now seemingly playing out in real time. Recorded on May 29, 2024, and now gaining renewed attention under his YouTube channel Predictive History, Jiang warned that a second Trump presidency could result in an American military invasion of Iran – a move he described as “a catastrophic mistake.”

In the video, Jiang likened the hypothetical U.S. invasion to Athens’ ill-fated Sicilian Expedition during the Peloponnesian War, as detailed by Thucydides. He warned that while a U.S. attack might initially seem successful, it would soon collapse under the weight of mountainous terrain, severed supply lines, and local resistance – just as the Athenians had been devastated by their inability to resupply in hostile territory.

“America would suffer a similar fate,” Jiang explained in the video. “To win a war, you need to avoid encirclement, mass your forces, and protect your supply lines. Iran’s geography and unified population would make all three impossible.”

'Jiang predicted that the U.S. and Israel would justify such an invasion under the pretense of targeting Iranian nuclear capabilities. He warned that contrary to Western hopes, the Persian population would rally around its government rather than rise in revolt. He also alleged that the U.S. might resort to a false-flag operation, such as a domestic terror attack blamed on Iran, to manipulate public opinion and justify large-scale military mobilisation.

He went so far as to claim the U.S. might deploy 100,000 troops into Iran, but added that such a force would be insufficient without the support of allies, support he believes is unlikely to materialise. “You would need at least three million troops to occupy and control a country like Iran,” Jiang said, calling the idea “militarily and politically

unrealistic.”

The lecture also explains on broader themes of leadership and media-driven politics. Jiang described Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as someone more concerned with optics than military strategy, citing his background as a television actor. He extended the analogy to Donald Trump, also a former reality TV figure, saying Trump would be likely to initiate military action against Iran if he believed it would boost his image.

https://www.financialexpress.com/world-news/us-news/who-is-jiang-xueqin-professors-viral-video-from-2024-predicted-trumps-return-and-u-s-role-in-israel-iran-war/3890404/

The Professor Who Predicted Trump's Return and War With Iran

Published Jun 24, 2025 at 12:49 PM EDT

A year-old classroom lecture by Beijing-based historian Jiang Xueqin is gaining renewed attention online as U.S.-Iran tensions escalate, echoing predictions he made about a future war under a second Trump presidency.

Jiang's May 2024 lecture, part of his "Predictive History" series on YouTube, argued that a new Trump administration would be pushed toward war with Iran due to political pressure from a powerful Israel lobby, Saudi Arabian interests, and America's reliance on global hegemony for financial gains.

The lecture, originally intended for academic instruction, has since gone viral across social media as fighting intensifies between Iran and Israel and U.S. troops are increasingly drawn into the regional conflict.

Why It Matters

Tensions between the United States and Iran have sharply escalated following a series of military actions involving nuclear infrastructure and regional retaliation. On Sunday, the U.S. launched "Operation Midnight Hammer," a surprise offensive targeting three major Iranian nuclear sites—Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.

Amid rising fears of a broader regional conflict, Trump announced on Monday that a tentative ceasefire had been brokered between Iran and Israel through Qatari mediation. However, the truce appeared to falter soon after, as the two countries continued to exchange fire. Trump publicly scolded both nations for undermining the agreement he secured.

What To Know

In a May 29, 2024 lecture—back when Joe Biden was still president and before Trump survived two assassination attempts—Beijing-based historian Jiang Xueqin sketched out a striking scenario for a future U.S. war with Iran. The lecture, and the historian's YouTube page, went mostly unnoticed for a year, generating only a handful of views. Now as reality catches up to his prediction, the lecture is going viral. His page has accrued more than 100,000 subscribers in three days.

Jiang outlined a scenario he called "Operation Iranian Freedom"—a joint invasion by the U.S., Israel, Saudi Arabia, and allies including the UK and UAE. He suggested Trump would justify the war by pointing to Iran's nuclear program, proxy attacks, threats to allies, and a call to spread democracy.

These themes were reflected in Trump's recent speeches and posts, which invoked terrorism, nuclear threats, and support for Israel as grounds for military involvement.

"Israel becomes the top dog in the Middle East," he said. "If Iran and the U.S. are both weakened, there is no counterbalance."

Jiang's core warning was about "boots on the ground" military action: that U.S. troops, once deployed into Iran's mountainous terrain, would be "hostages, not soldiers," unable to mass forces, protect supply lines or escape. He estimated that conquering Iran would require "at least 3 to 4 million soldiers," far beyond the U.S. military's capacity, especially given its reliance on outsourced manufacturing and low recruitment.

The transcript of the class details how Jiang led students through a game-theory breakdown of key players—Trump, Iran's Revolutionary Guard, Israel and Saudi Arabia—and their incentives. He concluded that all actors had reasons to provoke conflict, but with radically different endgames.

https://www.newsweek.com/jiang-xueqin-trump-iran-viral-video-youtube-2090047

>>23235107

Jiang compared the potential outcome to the Athenian invasion of Sicily in 415 BCE and the U.S. involvement in Vietnam and Ukraine. In each case, he said, overconfidence, poor supply logistics and a lack of domestic or local support led to failure. "They thought they were gods," he said of U.S. military planners. "But you're not God—and if you think you are, you get into a lot of trouble."

The lecturer also emphasized that a nuclear threat would be Trump's fallback if U.S. troops became trapped. Jiang imagined Trump threatening Tehran with annihilation if American forces were not allowed to leave safely. To prevent this, Jiang argued, Russia would likely declare a nuclear red line—promising to retaliate against any nation, including the U.S., that deployed nuclear weapons in the region.

"If Putin says that, he's a hero," Jiang told students. "He saved humanity. But because he says this, the United States is now trapped."

Yet the viral spread of Jiang's video has not gone unchallenged. On Reddit's r/Military forum, some commenters have criticized both his methods and past remarks. "Even a broken watch is right twice a day," one user wrote, pointing out that given the number of self-proclaimed geopolitical forecasters online, one of them was bound to get a scenario partially correct.

Another commenter, referencing Jiang's citation of game theory, said, "He makes some interesting predictions, but it's based on a lot of assumptions, historical examples that are out of context, and 'game theory' that he often cites but never demonstrates."

The lecturer also emphasized that a nuclear threat would be Trump's fallback if U.S. troops became trapped. Jiang imagined Trump threatening Tehran with annihilation if American forces were not allowed to leave safely. To prevent this, Jiang argued, Russia would likely declare a nuclear red line—promising to retaliate against any nation, including the U.S., that deployed nuclear weapons in the region.

"If Putin says that, he's a hero," Jiang told students. "He saved humanity. But because he says this, the United States is now trapped."

Yet the viral spread of Jiang's video has not gone unchallenged. On Reddit's r/Military forum, some commenters have criticized both his methods and past remarks. "Even a broken watch is right twice a day," one user wrote, pointing out that given the number of self-proclaimed geopolitical forecasters online, one of them was bound to get a scenario partially correct.

Another commenter, referencing Jiang's citation of game theory, said, "He makes some interesting predictions, but it's based on a lot of assumptions, historical examples that are out of context, and 'game theory' that he often cites but never demonstrates."

What People Are Saying

Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday: "ISRAEL is not going to attack Iran. All planes will turn around and head home, while doing a friendly "Plane Wave" to Iran. Nobody will be hurt, the Ceasefire is in effect!"

Vice President J.D. Vance posted on X, formerly Twitter: "Thanks to President Trump's bold leadership, the Iranian nuclear program has been obliterated, and the 12 Day War is over. This is a historic moment and a massive step toward lasting peace in the Middle East."

>>23235077

Remember, when they attack TV building in Teheran? In an interview yesterday moderator said that 1 hour before this, they bombed government building, where President, Head of Parluament and Head of judiciary had a meeting, furtunately they survived unharmed. Thinking they eliminated leadership, informed Orange that got unhinged and started bragging about regime change, when they realized they missed, Orange calmed down, this explains perfectly his unhinged tweets.

How do you know Trump is still a puppet?

Gaza.

Why didn't Trump 2.0 ask for a ceasefire in Gaza, along with the Iranian one? Why are all the European prostitutes asking Iran to agree to a ceasefire, but not a word said to Israel?

In major free speech victory, Germany’s ban on right-wing Compact Magazine is overturned by federal court

In a major win for press freedom, Germany’s Federal Administrative Court has lifted the Interior Ministry’s ban on Compact Magazine, which is published by Jürgen Elsässer. The magazine can now resume publication after dramatic police raids led to the entire publication being shutdown last year.

Presiding Judge Ingo Kraft stated, “The Basic Law guarantees freedom of expression and association even to its enemies.”

In a move that may have broad and far-reaching consequences, the court ruled that the magazine’s position against immigration is compatible with free speech and freedom of the press rights enshrined in the constitution.

🇩🇪 Extraordinary scenes in Germany as police raid the home of Jürgen Elsässer, the publisher of the right-wing Compact Magazine, and remove various belongings from his residence outside Berlin.

Germany's interior minister has placed a blanket ban on the entire publication.

It… pic.twitter.com/KsV03IbbSs

— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) July 16, 2024

“Many of the anti-immigration or anti-immigration statements cited by the defendant as evidence for the ban can therefore also be interpreted as exaggerated criticism of migration policy, but ultimately permissible in light of fundamental rights of communication,” the court further stated.

Kraft stated that the publication’s “exaggerated criticism of migration policy” is permissible as a fundamental right.

Furthermore, Compact’s demands for stricter naturalization requirements and higher integration standards in citizenship law are not inherently incompatible with human dignity or democratic principles.

Massive press crackdown in Germany: Government bans Compact Magazine in unprecedented move, police search publisher’s home in early morning raid

The court noted that Compact’s “polemically pointed criticism of power,” conspiracy theories, and historical revisionist views are protected under Article 5, Paragraph 1 of the Basic Law.

The ban on Compact first came about in 2024 when former Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser ordered house raids against Compact magazine, including the home of the publisher, Jürgen Elsässer, along with various employees of the outlet. She had the entire publication banned, scrubbed from the internet, and its property seized.

Footage of the dramatic house raids went viral on social media.

🇩🇪BREAKING NEWS:

Massive crackdown on the press in Germany

In what may be the most aggressive move against press freedom since the Second World War, Germany has banned Compact Magazine and raided the office of the publisher, Jürgen Elsässer.

The press was informed ahead of… pic.twitter.com/yLed1UkL7T

— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) July 16, 2024

The German interior ministry justified the ban by saying it was a “central mouthpiece of the right-wing extremist scene.” According to the ministry, “Compact” Magazine GmbH has long been under the scrutiny of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV). It was classified as a “confirmed” right-wing extremist organization and has been under surveillance since 2021.

https://rmx.news/article/breaking-in-major-free-speech-victory-germanys-ban-on-right-wing-compact-magazine-is-overturned-by-federal-court/