Iran prepares for potential US attack — media
Photo: Iran's leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (Getty Images)
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei moved to a fortified underground bunker in Tehran following warnings from military and security officials about an increased likelihood of a US strike in the near future, The Jerusalem Post reports.
Trump's statements raise tensions
Tehran's assessment of US threat levels intensified after President Donald Trump announced that American warships were heading toward waters near Iran.
"We have a lot of ships heading towards Iran. We hope we don't have to use them," Trump said on January 23.
Tehran threatens "all-out war"
In response, a senior Iranian official warned that any attack would be "tantamount to all-out war against the Iranian nation." Iranian authorities have repeated this rhetoric over the past few days.
The Iranian Students' News Agency, citing the parliamentary National Security Committee, also reported that any attack attempt on Khamenei could trigger a declaration of jihad.
President of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian, previously stated that an attack on the Supreme Leader would be "tantamount to all-out war against the Iranian nation."
US sanctions, new protest casualties
The warnings come after Trump signaled a potential de-escalation of repression in the country last week. Despite restricted internet access, reports continue to emerge of violence against protesters in Iran.
On January 23, the US Treasury imposed additional sanctions on Iran in response to government actions.
According to the Iranian human rights group HRANA, at least 5,137 people have died during the unrest as of Saturday, though the true death toll may be higher.
Protests sweeping Iran
Since late 2025, widespread anti-government protests have erupted in Iran, initially in Tehran among business owners, driven by a deteriorating economy and the rapid devaluation of the national currency against the US dollar.
The unrest soon spread to regions traditionally considered loyal to the regime, including Qom in central Iran and Mashhad in the northeast.
US President Donald Trump publicly encouraged Iranians to continue protesting and take control of state institutions, stating that help for demonstrators "is on its way."
He also warned of extremely tough measures if protest participants are executed and called for the dismantling of the ayatollah regime, emphasizing the need for new leadership. Also, Trump announced the deployment of a significant US naval fleet to Iran.
