Gen. Ahmad Vahidi, a high-ranking commander in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has re-emerged into public view for the first time in months. Vahidi was seen participating in funeral ceremonies for the recently assassinated Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to state media reports and photographs published online.
Vahidi, who has been sanctioned by the United States and is wanted by Interpol in connection with the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, was observed with his hands on Khamenei's coffin. His public appearance occurred as Tehran prepared for a days-long funeral and the commencement of a 40-day national mourning period.
This marks Vahidi's first public sighting since February 8. Khamenei and several other IRGC officials, including Vahidi's predecessor Mohammad Pakpour, were killed on February 28 during an event referred to as Operation Epic Fury.
Influence and Allegations
Behind the scenes, Vahidi has been described as a key figure in shaping Iran's policy responses. In May, he reportedly claimed Iran had achieved victory over what he termed the "terrorist attack of the Zionist-American enemy," asserting that Washington had sought a cease-fire "in humiliation." He also issued threats of a "devastating and hellish response" to any renewed aggression.
Analysts suggest Vahidi is part of a small group influencing Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who is reportedly severely injured. Ali Vaez, Iran project director at the International Crisis Group, stated that Vahidi possesses a "very loud voice in the room" and that decisions are made consensually.
Danny Citrinowicz, former head of the Iran branch of Israel's military intelligence, commented that "You cannot agree on something without passing him." He also described Vahidi as "a wanted man" and "a guy to be reckoned with."
Background and Sanctions
Vahidi, 67, joined the IRGC following the 1979 Revolution. He later commanded Iran's elite Quds Force in the late 1980s, contributing to the expansion of Iranian influence across the Middle East before Qasem Soleimani took command. Both Vahidi and Soleimani are credited with fostering the growth of Iranian proxy groups abroad, including Hezbollah.
Vahidi is among those accused by Argentine investigators of orchestrating the 1994 bombing of the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) Jewish community center, which killed 85 people and injured over 300. This event remains the deadliest antisemitic attack in the Western Hemisphere since World War II. Interpol has issued a red notice for Vahidi, urging global law enforcement to find and arrest him.
Argentine investigators have also linked Vahidi to the 1992 bombing of the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires. U.S. investigators suspect his involvement in the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia, which resulted in the deaths of 19 service members.
In addition to sanctions related to Iran's nuclear and missile programs, Vahidi faced a second wave of U.S. sanctions in 2022 following Iran's crackdown on protests after the death of Mahsa Amini. The European Union also imposed sanctions on Vahidi in 2022 due to the regime's use of live ammunition against protesters, which human rights groups report led to nearly 500 deaths.