Ahmad Vahidi, the Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has resurfaced after months of total absence from the public eye. He was seen on Thursday evening, July 2, during the farewell ceremony for Ali Khamenei at the Khomeini Husseiniya, marking his first public appearance since the outbreak of the war. On Friday, July 3, state media broadcast images confirming his attendance at the late Supreme Leader’s funeral procession at the Tehran Grand Musalla.
Speaking to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), Vahidi addressed the assassination of Ali Khamenei, stating, “We will never be separated from him. He resides in our hearts, souls, and minds, and he remains eternal and enduring for all of us and our beloved Iran.”
Directing his remarks toward those he termed the “enemies of Iran,” the IRGC commander asserted that Khamenei’s death would become “another turning point in Islam’s victories over global infidelity,” declaring that the Islamic Republic would never capitulate.
Vahidi’s re-emergence is notable, given that he had not been seen in public since the escalation of the conflict and the subsequent US and Israeli air strikes. The Associated Press also highlighted the state media footage, reporting that this marks the IRGC commander’s first appearance at a public event in several months.
