A senior Iranian military leader, Gen. Ahmad Vahidi, has appeared in public for the first time in months as Iran prepares for the multi-day funeral of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

According to Iranian state media, Vahidi attended a meeting on the funeral arrangements. He was also seen sitting beside Khamenei’s coffin during a private ceremony held on Thursday night near the late leader’s former residence in central Tehran.

Key Figure in Iran’s Leadership

Experts believe Vahidi has become one of the most important people shaping Iran’s position in talks over a possible long-term end to the conflict with the United States, as per reports.

He is also believed to be part of a small group that is in direct contact with Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei. Mojtaba Khamenei has reportedly remained out of public view after being injured in the Israeli strikes on February 28 that killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Vahidi himself had not been seen publicly since February 8, before the Iran war began.

Mojtaba Khamenei to Skip Funeral

Amid the ongoing tensions in the Middle East, Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei will not attend his father’s funeral because of security concerns.

According to his representative in India, Ayatollah Hakim Elahi, Mojtaba’s public appearance could be extremely risky due to threats and close surveillance by Israel.

Why the Funeral Is Taking Place After Four Months

Ali Khamenei, who ruled Iran for 36 years, was killed in a US and Israeli airstrike on February 28, triggering a major conflict in the Middle East.

Under Islamic tradition, a burial is usually held within 24 hours of death. However, because Iran was in a state of war, the funeral was delayed.

The funeral ceremonies will begin in Tehran on July 4 and conclude with the burial in Khamenei’s hometown of Mashhad on July 9. Millions of people are expected to join the six-day mourning events.

Mourning Ceremony Held in Tehran

Iranian state television showed footage from a mourning ceremony held near the husseiniyah inside Khamenei’s compound in Tehran.

The reports said Khamenei was killed in an Israeli airstrike at the beginning of the war, along with several members of his family.

His coffin was placed on a stage decorated with red tulips, while paper butterflies hung from the ceiling.

Mourners Pay Their Respects

People attending the ceremony were dressed in black. State media said they included families who lost relatives during the 12-day war in 2025 and the recent Iran war.

Many mourners threw scarves and other personal items toward the coffin so attendants could touch them to it, a traditional practice followed during funerals in Iran.

Red Flag Placed on the Coffin

Later, state media showed Khamenei’s coffin covered with a red flag carrying the words “Ya Hussein” in white calligraphy.

The flag had been brought from the Imam Hussein shrine in Karbala, Iraq. In Shiite tradition, it honours the martyrdom of Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Hussein. The red flag is also seen as a symbol of innocent blood being shed and a call for justice and revenge.

Funeral to Continue for Several Days

On Friday morning, security personnel carried Khamenei’s coffin by hand as it reached the Grand Mosalla in Tehran.

Religious leaders walked past the coffin to pay their respects. The coffins of other family members who were killed, including his 14-month-old granddaughter Zahra Mohammadi Golpayegani, were also present.

Authorities are expected to close roads, restrict airspace and disrupt normal daily life in Tehran as large crowds gather to mourn the leader, who ruled Iran for decades and remained strongly opposed to the West.