TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — A senior commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard made a rare public appearance as Tehran prepared for the multi-day funeral of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died during the recent conflict. Iranian state media shared images of Gen. Ahmad Vahidi attending a funeral planning meeting and standing beside Khamenei’s casket during a preliminary ceremony near the Supreme Leader’s former residence in downtown Tehran on Thursday evening.
Vahidi, who has been a key figure in shaping Iran’s negotiation strategy with the United States, is reportedly part of a close inner circle that includes Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei. The younger Khamenei, who assumed leadership after his father’s death in Israeli airstrikes on February 28, remains in hiding following injuries sustained during the attack.
Vahidi has not been seen publicly since February 8, days before the escalation in hostilities began. Israeli operations targeting Iran’s military and political elite have continued, with threats also directed at Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei. State media released video footage of the mourning ceremony, showing Khamenei’s body draped in a coffin adorned with red tulips and paper butterflies. Attendees, dressed in black, participated in customary rituals, including brushing their scarves against the coffin as a sign of respect.
The deceased leader’s casket was also displayed with a red flag bearing the Shiite slogan “Ya Hussein,” symbolizing both remembrance of historical martyrdom and a call for retribution. By midday Friday, security forces transported Khamenei’s coffin—now draped in the Iranian flag—to the Grand Mosalla in Tehran, where dignitaries, religious figures, and foreign envoys paid their respects. Among those honored alongside Khamenei was his 14-month-old granddaughter, Zahra Mohammadi Golpayegani.
Over the weekend, Iran will conduct a state funeral involving the transportation of Khamenei’s body to major cities across the country and to Karbala, Iraq, where Shiite Muslims revere the legacy of Imam Hussein. Authorities have implemented widespread disruptions to traffic, airspace, and public services to accommodate the mourning period.
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