IRGC Commander Ahmed Vahidi appeared in public on Friday for the first time since the US and Israel launched their war against Iran, attending the funeral of former Iranian leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran.
Footage broadcast by Iranian media showed the 68-year-old Vahidi placing his hand on the coffin carrying Khamenei's body and praying.
In remarks at the ceremony, Vahidi said, "We will not stray from the path of our martyred leader. He continues to live in our hearts and souls. His presence is eternal and continuous in the march of Iran and the Islamic ummah."
Vahidi had stayed out of the public eye since his appointment as IRGC commander in early March, replacing Mohammad Pakpour who was killed on the first day of the war. His absence was attributed to security measures brought on by the US-Israel war.
The war began with assassinations targeting the Iranian leadership; senior figures including Khamenei and Pakpour lost their lives.
Before his appointment as IRGC commander, Vahidi had served as deputy commander general since December 2025. Vahidi, who served in the IRGC for many years, previously commanded the Quds Force and served in government as Defense Minister from 2009 to 2013 and as Interior Minister from 2021 to 2024.
Argentina accuses Vahidi of involvement in the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish center in Buenos Aires that killed 85 people. Iran denies the charges against Vahidi, who is subject to an Interpol red notice.
Meanwhile, official funeral ceremonies for Khamenei that began in Tehran on Friday are expected to last several days, and his body will be buried in the northeastern city of Mashhad.
