Conflicting reports on Tuesday left open basic questions about the fate of Asadollah Badfar, head of the Basij (paramilitary volunteer militia within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) unit within Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff, after opposition-linked media reported he was killed in recent Israel-US strikes, while also saying his funeral had already taken place in Qom a day earlier.
Iran International reported that Badfar was killed in the joint strikes and said Iranian authorities had not formally announced his death. The same report said his funeral was held on 18 Esfand in Qom, creating uncertainty over when he was allegedly killed and under what circumstances.
Confusion amplified
The confusion was amplified on social media. The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) analyst Joe Truzman wrote on X that Badfar “was killed today [Tuesday]” in Israeli-American airstrikes, a timeline that appears to clash with the reported funeral date cited by Iran International.
Iranian media, prior to the reported strike, identified Badfar as the head of Basij affairs within the armed forces general staff. The Jerusalem Post could not independently verify the exact date, place, or cause of his reported death.