Dubai. General Ahmad Vahidi, the head of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, who has not been seen in public for a long time, suddenly appeared in public while preparing for the day-long funeral program of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which will begin on Friday.
In photos and videos released by Iranian state media, he was seen attending a funeral meeting and sitting next to his casket at a memorial service held near Khamenei’s former residence in Tehran.
According to state media, a small mourning meeting was held in the central area of Tehran on Thursday night in honor of the 86-year-old Khamenei. During the ceremony, the mourners in black dresses threw scarves and other materials towards the coffin. It is considered a traditional practice of showing respect in Iran.
According to analysts, Vahidi has played an influential role in determining Iran’s tough stance in negotiations for a possible permanent end to the war with the US. He is believed to be one of the members of a limited group in direct contact with the new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei. It is said that Mojtaba Khamenei was injured in an Israeli attack on February 28 and his father Ali Khamenei died in the same attack.
युद्ध सुरु हुनुभन्दा केही साताअघि फेब्रुअरी ८ पछि वाहिदी सार्वजनिक रूपमा नदेखिएकाले उनको उपस्थितिलाई विशेष महत्त्वका साथ हेरिएको छ । राज्य सञ्चारमाध्यमले प्रसारण गरेको भिडियोमा तेहरानस्थित हुसिनियाह परिसरमा राखिएको खामेनीको कफिन रातो ट्युलिपले सजाइएको देखिन्छ ।
Over the coffin was draped a red flag with white calligraphy saying ‘Ya Hussain’, which has special significance in the Shia community. The flag is also taken as a symbol of blood and revenge for those who were unjustly killed and is also hoisted over the holy shrine of Imam Hussain in Karbala, Iraq.
Iran is set to begin a day-long funeral for Khamenei from Saturday. His body is scheduled to be taken to various cities in Iran and neighboring Iraq.
The funeral will begin from the Grand Mosque in Tehran. Roads and daily life are expected to be affected due to mourning ceremonies there. According to government officials, a large number of grieving citizens will participate to pay their last respects to Khamenei, who led Iran by adopting a confrontational policy with the West for a decade. -ap