DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander Gen. Ahmad Vahidi has reappeared publicly ahead of the state funeral for late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as authorities finalize preparations for a multi-day mourning ceremony in Tehran, The Associated Press reported. His appearance comes amid a period of political transition and heightened regional attention following Khamenei’s death.
Images published by Iranian state media showed Vahidi attending a meeting on funeral arrangements before appearing beside Khamenei’s casket during a smaller memorial service held Thursday night near the late leader’s former residence in central Tehran. Khamenei, who was 86, is set to receive a series of public funeral events beginning Saturday.
Vahidi had not been seen publicly since Feb. 8, weeks before the conflict referred to in the report as the Iran war began. His return has drawn attention because of his reported role in shaping Iran’s position during negotiations aimed at reaching a permanent end to the war with the United States.
According to the AP report, Vahidi is believed to be among a small group maintaining direct contact with Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei. The report stated that Mojtaba Khamenei has remained out of public view after reportedly being wounded in Israeli strikes on Feb. 28 that killed his father, although those claims were not independently verified in the supplied material.
Funeral Preparations Underway
Video released by Iranian state media showed mourners gathering near the husseiniyah within Khamenei’s compound in Tehran for an initial memorial ceremony. State media reported that the late leader’s coffin was placed on a stage decorated with red tulips, while paper butterflies were suspended above the display.
The mourners, identified by state media as relatives of people killed during the 12-day war in 2025 and the recent Iran war, participated in traditional mourning practices by passing scarves and other personal items to attendants for brief contact with the casket.
State media later showed the coffin draped with a red flag bearing the inscription “Ya Hussein,” a Shiite expression commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. According to the report, the flag had previously flown over the Imam Hussein shrine in Karbala, Iraq, and traditionally symbolizes both unjustly shed blood and a call for justice or vengeance within Shiite tradition.
Nationwide Mourning Planned
Iranian authorities are expected to begin official funeral ceremonies on Saturday at the Grand Mosalla in Tehran. Officials plan to restrict traffic and suspend much of the capital’s daily activity as large crowds gather to commemorate Khamenei’s decades-long leadership.
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Following the ceremony in Tehran, Khamenei’s body is scheduled to be transported to several cities across Iran as well as neighboring Iraq as part of the extended funeral observances, according to the AP report.
While the funeral is expected to serve as a major national event, it also comes during a sensitive period for Iran’s leadership following recent military conflict and ongoing diplomatic uncertainty surrounding efforts to negotiate a lasting end to hostilities.
Tags: Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Ahmad Vahidi, Revolutionary Guard, Tehran, Middle East, State Funeral, Mojtaba Khamenei, Israel, United States, Regional Security, Diplomacy
