Iran's top leader takes shelter in Tehran bunker as US strike concerns grow
Photo: Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (Getty Images)
The Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has moved to a fortified underground bunker in Tehran amid fears of a possible US strike, while the country is temporarily being run by his son Masoud in his place, according to The Jerusalem Post.
According to the outlet, against the backdrop of protests sweeping the Islamic Republic and fears that the United States could carry out its threats to strike Iran, Supreme Leader Khamenei relocated to a "fortified underground shelter containing a series of tunnels in Tehran".
The decision was reportedly made following an assessment by senior military and security officials of the ayatollahs' regime, who warned of an "increased likelihood of an American strike".
According to media reports, Masoud Khamenei, the ayatollah's third son, has taken over the day-to-day duties of the supreme leader and is acting as the main channel of communication with the regime’s executive authorities.
It is noted that the threat of a US attack increased after US President Donald Trump said on Friday that American ships were heading toward Iran, adding that he "hopes we don't have to use them".
Protests in Iran
It should be recalled that since late 2025, Iran has been gripped by large-scale anti-government protests that began in Tehran among business owners dissatisfied with the economic situation and the fall of the national currency against the US dollar.
Even cities previously considered loyal to the regime, including Qom in central Iran and Mashhad in the northeast, have joined the protests.
US President Donald Trump has publicly urged Iranians to continue anti-government demonstrations, to "seize institutions", and said that assistance to protesters is "already on the way".
In addition, he promised to take very decisive measures if Iranian authorities begin executing participants in the protests.
Trump has also called for an end to Iran’s ayatollah regime amid the bloody suppression of mass protests in the country, stating that it is necessary to "look for a new leader".
Recently, the US president also said that the United States is sending a large flotilla toward Iran.
