Three prominent Iranian figures appeared at Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s final farewell ceremony after death claims during the Iran war. Former President Ahmadinejad, IRGC chief Ahmad Vahidi, and Quds Force commander Ismail Qaani attended the event. Meanwhile, Israel had earlier claimed that its strikes killed all three leaders during the conflict. However, their appearance at Khamenei’s funeral created fresh questions about those announcements.
Three Leaders’ Appearance Raises Questions
After their public appearance, two major questions emerged across discussions. First, people questioned whether other Iranian officials also survived similar death announcements. Second, many wondered where these leaders stayed until their appearance at the funeral.
The event changed attention toward several claims made during the conflict. Their presence created uncertainty around earlier reports about their deaths.
Ahmadinejad Appears After Earlier Death Claims
Ahmadinejad, Iran’s former president, appeared during Khamenei’s final farewell. During the war, reports claimed an Israeli attack killed him. However, Iran’s government did not reject those reports at that time.
The New York Times published a report claiming America wanted Ahmadinejad as Iran’s supreme leader. However, neither Iran nor Ahmadinejad responded to that claim. Now, Ahmadinejad appeared publicly for the first time during Khamenei’s farewell ceremony.
Ahmad Vahidi And Ismail Qaani Attend Funeral
Ahmad Vahidi, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard commander, also faced death reports during the conflict. Reports claimed an Israeli strike killed him. However, Iran rejected those claims at that time.
Despite the denial, Vahidi did not appear publicly after those reports. Now, he attended Khamenei’s funeral and spoke with journalists. Vahidi said America’s dream of forcing Iran to surrender had failed. Additionally, he stated that Iran would continue fighting.
Meanwhile, Ismail Qaani also appeared at the farewell ceremony. Reports earlier claimed that Qaani died during the war. However, people close to him later confirmed his injuries. Qaani remains known as a close associate of Iran’s supreme leader.
Mojtaba Khamenei Avoids Final Farewell
On the other hand, Mojtaba Khamenei did not attend his father’s funeral ceremony. Iran stated that security concerns after Israeli attacks prevented his presence.
Mojtaba has remained underground since the Iran war began. Initially, reports claimed that he suffered injuries. However, Iran’s government described him as completely healthy.
During his absence, 101-year-old Ayatollah Hassan Noori will lead funeral prayers in Mashhad.
