Man who replaced 2 slain IRGC chiefs steps into open at Khamenei's farewell

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Ahmad Vahidi made his first public appearance since the U.S.–Israeli war on Iran began in February. He was seen at the farewell ceremony for the slain Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran. Al Jazeera's Ali Hashem reported the development, sharing images of Vahidi near Khamenei's coffin ahead of the funeral processions starting July 4.

Iranian media confirmed his presence, describing it as a ceremony held "to renew allegiance to the ideals of the revolution."

Vahidi took command after both his predecessors were killed

Vahidi assumed command of the IRGC after his two immediate predecessors were killed.

Hossein Salami was killed in Israel's June 2025 attack on Iran. Mohammad Pakpour was killed in the opening U.S.-Israeli strikes of this war in February, the same strikes that also killed Khamenei.

Vahidi is now described as a key player in shaping Tehran's posture toward the United States since the war began, and may be the main point of contact for the regional mediators trying to end it, according to the source material.

Then-Iranian interior minister Ahmad Vahidi speaks during a press conference in Tehran on March 4, 2024. (AFP Photo)

Shadowed career of man who now runs IRGC

Born in Shiraz in 1958 under the name Vahid Shahcheraghi, Vahidi joined the IRGC in 1980.

During the Iran–Iraq War, he worked in military intelligence and helped establish the IRGC's intelligence operations unit. In 1988, he was appointed the first commander of the Quds Force, the Guards' elite overseas operations arm responsible for training, equipping, and financing Iran's network of regional proxy groups.

He held the post until 1997, when he was succeeded by Qassem Soleimani, who led the force until his assassination in a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad in January 2020.

Vahidi's name remains heavily linked to the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, which killed 85 people and wounded more than 300.

An Argentine prosecutor formally named Vahidi as one of the chief planners, placing him on Interpol's Red Notice list and significantly restricting his international travel ever since.

Iran has consistently denied any involvement in the attack.

July 03, 2026 10:07 AM GMT+03:00