Amid intelligence reports of an “imminent threat” from the United States, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has taken refuge in a heavily fortified, highly secured underground complex in Tehran. The action, which was first reported on January 24, 2026, is the highest level of alarm for the ruling Islamic Republic leadership since the regional wars a year earlier.
The Fortress Beneath Tehran
The facility is characterized as a vast and interconnected network of tunnels built to withstand advanced bunker-buster munitions. According to sources from Iran International, the decision to move was made after military officials judged the risk of a precision strike by the United States to be significantly heightened.
The Supreme Leader remains in the bunker, but he has reportedly been instructed to transfer day-to-day operations of his office to his third son, Masoud Khamenei. Masoud now serves as a key communication intermediary between his father and Iran’s executive and military branches.
The US ‘Armada’ and Trump’s Warning
The move is in line with aggressive moves from Washington. US President Donald Trump, on Air Force One, noted a naval “armada” steaming toward the Middle East.
- Carrier Deployment: The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group, with guided-missile destroyers, will arrive in the region in days.
- Rationale: The US administration has cited the “brutal repression” of nationwide protests in Iran as a reason for enhanced military readiness.
- Trump’s Stance: "We are watching them very closely. We have a big force going in that direction just in case we decide to act," the President said to reporters.
Iran’s Reaction: ‘Finger on the Trigger’
Tehran has responded with defiance. General Mohammad Pakpour, head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said Iranian forces are at peak readiness. "Our finger is on the trigger. Any miscalculation by the US will see a response they cannot fathom,” Pakpour cautioned.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has underscored that a direct strike on the Supreme Leader would be treated as a declaration of war, which will likely lead to the immediate closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Internal Unrest and Human Rights
The military standoff is happening alongside serious domestic instability. Protests sparked by a collapsing Rial and economic hardship have left thousands of people arrested. Activists reported excessive fatalities from the recent crackdowns and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has called for a death penalty moratorium in Iran now.
But despite the bunker accounts, Iranian diplomats have officially rejected the news as “psychological warfare,” saying the Supreme Leader is still holding meetings, even if only by video conference for safety reasons.
