A senior Iranian general has reportedly appeared in public for the first time in several months as Tehran prepares for the funeral of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Gen. Ahmad Vahidi, who leads Iran’s paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was shown in photographs published by Iranian state media, according to the Associated Press.
Ahmad Vahidi Appears at Funeral Meeting
The images reportedly showed Vahidi attending a meeting focused on preparations for Khamenei’s funeral.
Other photographs appeared to show the Iranian general sitting beside what was believed to be Khamenei’s casket during a smaller service on Thursday night.
Vahidi had not been seen publicly since February 8, several weeks before the conflict that reportedly killed a number of senior Iranian military and government officials.
Vahidi’s Role in U.S.-Iran Peace Talks
Experts cited by the AP said Vahidi has played an important role in shaping Iran’s hard-line position during negotiations with the United States.
The talks are aimed at reaching a permanent peace agreement following months of conflict.
Vahidi is also believed to maintain close contact with Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.
Mojtaba Khamenei has reportedly remained out of public view since his father was killed at the start of a joint U.S.-Israeli military campaign in late February.
Khamenei Funeral Expected to Draw Millions
The official funeral for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is scheduled to begin on Saturday and continue until July 9.
Iranian authorities estimate that between 15 million and 20 million people could attend the funeral events.
The large commemorations are expected to delay the next round of diplomatic negotiations between Iran and the United States.
Qatari and Pakistani mediators cited by CBS News said further meetings would be arranged at the earliest possible time after the funeral period ends.
U.S.-Iran Negotiations Show Progress
Representatives from the United States and Iran held separate talks with mediators in Qatar this week.
U.S. President Donald Trump described the discussions as very productive. He has maintained that Iran must abandon its nuclear ambitions as part of any lasting peace agreement.
Trump later said that Tehran had accepted most of the conditions sought by Washington.
Qatar and Pakistan also reported positive progress. However, significant uncertainty continues to surround the negotiations.
Strait of Hormuz Tensions Remain
Iran’s joint military command has warned that oil tankers travelling through the Strait of Hormuz must follow approved Iranian routes.
Vessels that fail to comply could face a forceful response, according to the AP.
The warning raised concerns that tensions could increase again around the strategically important waterway.
The Strait of Hormuz lies off Iran’s southern coast and handles roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.
Oil Prices Return Near Pre-Conflict Levels
Iran effectively closed the waterway after the war began, disrupting global energy supplies.
The closure sent oil prices sharply higher and increased fears that rising energy costs could trigger another wave of global inflation.
Despite a brief confrontation in the strait late last month, crude oil prices have since fallen back towards their pre-conflict levels.
The decline has eased some concerns about energy-driven inflation.
Shipping Activity Continues to Recover
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has also increased.
At least 258 vessels passed through the waterway last week, CBS News reported, citing figures from Lloyd’s List Intelligence.
That compared with 138 ships during the previous week.
The recovery in shipping activity suggests that trade conditions are gradually normalising, although geopolitical risks in the region remain elevated.
