IRGC Chief Vahidi Reappears at Khamenei Coffin

AP published at 04:50 IDT and updated at 06:04 that Ahmad Vahidi, the acting commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, appeared publicly for the first time since February as Tehran prepared Ali Khamenei's dayslong funeral. AP says Iranian state-media photos showed Vahidi at a funeral-planning meeting and later beside Khamenei's casket; posts by Iran's Today and Ali Hashem confirmed the same appearance, with Ali Hashem placing him at the coffin before the July 4 procession. The display shows how the regime is using mourning to project continuity after Israel's opening strike killed Khamenei and exposed the top command. Israel should read Vahidi's return as a signal of IRGC hard-line control, not stability.