The move, first reported on January 24–25, 2026, by Iran International—an opposition-linked Persian-language news network based in London—comes as senior Iranian military and security officials assess a heightened risk of American action. The bunker is described as a hardened, high-security facility featuring interconnected tunnels designed to withstand aerial bombardment and other wartime threats. It is believed to be part of a network of protected sites prepared for leadership continuity during major conflicts.
While Khamenei remains in hiding, his third son, Masoud Khamenei, has assumed day-to-day management of his father’s office. Masoud, aged around 53, now serves as the principal channel of communication between the supreme leader’s inner circle and Iran’s executive branches, including the presidency, government ministries, and military command. This arrangement allows for continued governance while shielding the 86-year-old Ayatollah from perceived immediate dangers.
The relocation follows a series of provocative statements and military maneuvers by the United States. On January 22, 2026, aboard Air Force One returning from the World Economic Forum in Davos, President Donald Trump announced the deployment of a “massive fleet” toward the Middle East, with Iran as the apparent focus. “We have a lot of ships going that direction just in case. We have a big flotilla going in that direction. And we'll see what happens,” Trump told reporters. He elaborated: “We have an armada. We have a massive fleet heading in that direction, and maybe we won't have to use it. We'll see.”
U.S. Navy officials confirmed that the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, accompanied by guided-missile destroyers and support vessels, is repositioning from the Indian Ocean toward the region. The carrier strike group is expected to arrive in the Gulf or nearby waters in the coming days, bolstering U.S. presence amid ongoing tensions. Additional assets, including B-52 bombers and F-15 fighters, have been moved to regional bases, heightening Tehran's concerns.
Iranian officials responded with stark warnings. A senior unnamed Iranian official told Reuters on January 24 that any U.S. attack—whether “limited, unlimited, surgical, kinetic”—would be treated as an “all-out war against us,” prompting the hardest possible retaliation. “If the Americans violate Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, we will respond,” the official stated. “This military build-up – we hope it is not intended for real confrontation, but our military is ready for the worst-case scenario. This is why everything is on high alert in Iran.”
Iranian state television broadcasts have echoed this defiance, including references to a failed 2024 assassination attempt on Trump, with one segment declaring that “this time, the bullet won’t miss.” Such rhetoric underscores the regime's readiness to escalate while portraying external threats as existential.
The backdrop to these developments is Iran’s ongoing nationwide protests, which erupted on December 28, 2025, initially triggered by a sharp collapse in the value of the rial amid economic freefall. Demonstrations began with merchant strikes and shop closures in Tehran’s central bazaar over soaring prices and currency devaluation, quickly spreading to calls for regime change. The unrest follows a tumultuous 2025 marked by the June “12-day war” involving U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian facilities, which further strained the economy and fueled public discontent.
Iranian security forces have responded with lethal force, including mass arrests, internet blackouts, and widespread use of live ammunition. Opposition sources and exile media report death tolls exceeding 36,500, though official Iranian figures remain far lower and disputed. Earlier in January 2026, state television acknowledged 3,117 deaths during the unrest, classifying many as “innocent civilians and security forces.” Human rights groups and independent monitors suggest the true number could be significantly higher, citing suppressed information and ongoing crackdowns.
President Trump has repeatedly set “red lines” for potential intervention: the killing of peaceful protesters and mass executions of detainees. He claimed his warnings halted planned hangings of around 800 arrested individuals. Trump has described the U.S. as “locked and loaded” to protect demonstrators and accused Supreme Leader Khamenei of criminal responsibility for casualties and repression.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and Supreme Leader Khamenei have blamed U.S. and Israeli interference for inciting violence and pursuing “maximum bloodshed.” Khamenei labeled Trump a “criminal” for alleged incitement and damage to the Iranian nation.
Diplomatic channels remain stalled, with no immediate signs of de-escalation. International observers, including the United Nations and European diplomats, express grave concern over the risk of miscalculation leading to a wider regional conflict. The Persian Gulf, a critical global energy chokepoint, could see severe disruptions if hostilities erupt, impacting oil markets and international shipping.
For now, the reported relocation of Khamenei to a bunker signals the regime's defensive posture amid internal unrest and external pressure. Whether this move is precautionary or indicative of imminent threat remains unconfirmed by official Iranian channels, but it underscores the acute tensions gripping Tehran and Washington as both sides signal readiness for confrontation.
