A rare image from the Ashura mourning ceremonies in Tehran on Friday shows IRGC Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani standing pressed against a wall with a mournful expression, beside the empty chair of the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to Abu Ali Express. Also visible in the photo is Mohammad Dhu al-Qadr, chairman of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, appearing publicly for the first time after several months of absence.
A rare image from the Ashura mourning ceremonies in Tehran on Friday morning shows IRGC Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani in an unusual position: pressed against a wall with a somber expression, standing beside the empty chair of the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to a report by Abu Ali Express. The same frame also captures Mohammad Dhu al-Qadr, chairman of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, ending a months-long absence from public events.
As The Zioneer reported earlier on Friday (10:07 Jerusalem), an earlier image from the same ceremony had already been published, showing Qaani and the empty chair. The new image adds the appearance of Dhu al-Qadr, whose prolonged absence had been noted by Iranian-media watchers. The significance of Qaani's body language and the prominent empty chair — which has become a recurring symbol in post-Khamenei Iran — continues to be discussed among regional analysts.
The Ashura ceremonies mark the first major public ritual since Khamenei's death and the transition of leadership, and images from the events are being closely scrutinized for signals about the internal dynamics of Iran's security and political elite.
3 developments
- DevelopingIranian image depicts fading Khamenei legacy as Ashura mourning approaches
- DevelopingMojtaba Khamenei's empty chair at Ashura eve ceremony noted in Iran
- DevelopingIRGC Quds Force chief Qaani praises Iranian negotiating team, calls Trump 'desperate'
- DevelopingYair Goldblatt: Ismail Qaani expected to step down as IRGC Quds Force commander
Source and signal
- Internal intake