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Iran Revolutionary Guard Chief Resurfaces After War Absence

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Ahmad Vahidi made a rare public appearance at a state memorial with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei amid regional tensions.

Eleni Papadaki-Van Der Merwe Staff Writer

JULY 3, 2026 AT 2:21 PM

According to The European Conservative, Iranian state media broadcast footage showing Ahmad Vahidi, chief of the IRGC, paying his respects before Khamenei during the carefully orchestrated ceremony.

The appearance marks an unusual public showing for Vahidi, whose movements and activities are typically kept under tight wraps by the Islamic Republic’s security apparatus. IRGC commanders of his rank rarely appear in public settings, particularly amid ongoing regional tensions and Israel’s sustained intelligence operations against Iranian military leadership.

The memorial event was organized by state authorities and attended by numerous figures closely aligned with the Iranian regime. State media coverage emphasized Vahidi’s deference to Khamenei, reinforcing the Supreme Leader’s ultimate authority over the Revolutionary Guard and its operations.

The IRGC remains a central pillar of the Iranian regime’s power structure, controlling vast economic resources and military capabilities while directing Tehran’s proxy operations throughout the Middle East. Western governments, including the United States, have designated the organization as a terrorist entity.

Vahidi’s public emergence comes as the Islamic Republic faces mounting pressure both domestically and internationally. The regime continues to suppress internal dissent while managing its network of militant proxies across Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen.

The broadcast appearance may signal an attempt by Tehran to project stability and control within its military hierarchy, particularly as regional adversaries maintain pressure on Iranian assets and personnel.

With information from The European Conservative

Eleni Papadaki-Van Der Merwe

She was born in 1986 in Johannesburg, South Africa. She is the granddaughter of an immigrant from Crete who settled in the Greek community of Johannesburg (one of the largest in Africa). She holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Political Science from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg and a master’s degree in Journalism from Rhodes University in Grahamstown. She began her career at English-language media outlets in Johannesburg, covering politics and economics, with a focus on issues related to migration and the diaspora. She moved to Athens in 2015 to “return to her roots,” initially to pursue graduate studies, and has remained there permanently. She is married to an Afrikaner; they have two children and live in the southern suburbs of Athens.