The new Quds Force commander argued that it made more sense for Iran to adopt an irregular strategy through his Quds Force and support Afghan resistance groups, particularly those under the vaunted Northern Alliance commander Ahmad Shah Massoud. Using Tajikistan as a base of operation, Soleimani and his Quds Force ramped up assistance to Massoud and his Jamiat-e Islami militia force.6 A picture taken around this time shows a proud Massoud, dressed in a tan jacket, combat boots, and his iconic pakol—a soft, round-topped woolen hat. Soleimani stands to Massoud’s left, just off-center, with his
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