ERBIL, Kurdistan Region—The bodyguard of a high-ranking and famous Iranian cleric has been killed fighting in Syria, according to news reports. Muhsin Faramarzi was killed while fighting in Syria alongside Shiite militia and Syrian government forces. Faramarzi was the personal bodyguard of Muhammad Imami Kashani, the Friday preacher of Tehran. According to Tasnim news agency, Faramarzi had traveled to Syria as a volunteer fighter under the Iranian militia group known as Defenders of the Shrine. Since the start of the Syrian war thousands of Iranian nationals have traveled there to fight with the army against rebel groups. The shrine of Sayda Zainab, the eldest daughter of Prophet Muhammad is located in Damascus. She is highly regarded by the Shiite sect. Scores of other Iranian soldiers and high-ranking military advisors are believed to have been killed in Syria, mostly in recent fighting around the northern city of Aleppo. Faramarzi’s death could be considered high-ranking due to his closeness to the preacher of Tehran, a position also held by the Supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei himself.
