Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani, who was killed Friday in a US strike, was one of the most popular figures in
Iran and seen as a deadly adversary by America and its allies.
General Soleimani, who headed the external operations Quds Force for the Guards, had wielded his regional clout publicly since 2018 when it was revealed that he had direct involvement in top-level talks over the formation of Iraq's government.
Soleimani has been in and out of Baghdad ever since, most recently last month as parties sought to form a new government.