Following rising concerns over a possible U.S. military strike, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has relocated to a heavily fortified underground compound in Tehran, according to reports, which cited sources close to the regime who revealed his son now oversees day-to-day operations.
The development, reported this week by Iran International, underscores Tehran’s growing anxiety in the wake of escalating tensions with the United States over repeated threats to American forces, the regime’s brutal crackdown on its own people, and ongoing regional destabilization driven by Iran’s sponsorship of terror proxies across the Middle East.
The facility was described by the sources as a hardened bunker network with interconnected tunnels designed for protection and continuity of leadership in the event of an attack.
Additionally, Khamenei’s third son, Masoud, has reportedly assumed control of the supreme leader’s office operations and is now acting as the key conduit between the regime’s leadership and government ministries. The move places even more authority within the Khamenei family amid concerns of instability inside Iran’s ruling elite.
The consolidation of power comes as Iran reels from weeks of unrest that began with merchant strikes in Tehran, with more than 30,000 protesters reportedly killed amid internet blackouts, mass arrests, and lethal crackdowns driven by years of economic mismanagement, political repression, and the collapse of the rial under Khamenei’s rule.
Last Saturday, President Trump publicly called for “new leadership” in Iran, rebuking Khamenei after the Supreme Leader accused him of inciting unrest inside the Islamic Republic. “It’s time to look for new leadership in Iran,” Trump said, charging that the regime’s decay stems from catastrophic governance rather than foreign pressure.
The threat followed a wave of anti-American rhetoric from top officials, including Khamenei directly accusing President Trump of inciting violent protests, calling him “guilty” of causing mass casualties and declaring, “The Iranian nation defeated the U.S.”
As tensions escalate, Washington is backing its warnings with concrete military deployments — including the repositioning of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group from the South China Sea to the Middle East — alongside a parallel economic crackdown targeting Iran’s ruling elite.
On Thursday, President Trump warned that a “big force” is heading toward Iran and that officials are “watching them very closely,” telling reporters aboard Air Force One, “We have a big flotilla going in that direction, and we’ll see what happens. It’s a big force.”
The regime’s decision to shelter its highest authority underground highlights its fear of American strength and raises fresh questions about Tehran’s readiness for conflict, as it continues backing terror abroad and crushing dissent at home.
Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jklein@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.
