Amid rising US-Iran tensions, reports claim Supreme Leader Khamenei has moved into a fortified bunker in Tehran. Trump warns of a US naval ‘armada’ heading to the Middle East- could conflict be imminent?
Supreme Leader has moved into a fortified underground shelter in Tehran
Tehran: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reportedly moved into a heavily fortified underground bunker in Tehran amid heightened concerns over a potential US military strike, according to two sources cited by Iran International. The complex is said to have interconnected tunnels designed for wartime contingencies.
Sources indicate that Masoud Khamenei, the supreme leader’s third son, has assumed day-to-day management of his father’s office and is now the primary channel of communication with Iran’s executive branches.
Is Trump preparing to strike Iran? US military assets move into position
The development follows comments by US President Donald Trump, who said a US naval “armada” was being sent to the Middle East “just in case” he decides to act against Iran. US Navy officials have confirmed that the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and several guided-missile destroyers are deployed in the Indian Ocean and are expected to reach the region in the coming days.
Additional air defense systems are reportedly being repositioned, likely to protect US and Israeli bases. The UK has also announced plans to deploy RAF Eurofighter Typhoon jets to Qatar at Doha’s request.
In response, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard commander, General Mohammad Pakpour, said Iranian forces are “more ready than ever, finger on the trigger” to carry out Khamenei’s orders. A senior Iranian official warned that any attack would be treated as “all-out war”, promising retaliation “in the hardest way possible.”
The military standoff comes amid ongoing unrest inside Iran triggered by economic hardship and a currency crisis. Protests that began in late December have led to a sweeping security crackdown and a prolonged internet shutdown.
‘Whole country to get blown up’: Trump responds to Iran’s warning amid unrest; Full story here
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported at least 5,002 deaths, including children, and over 26,500 arrests. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk condemned the crackdown at an emergency session in Geneva, calling for a moratorium on the death penalty and raising concerns over forced confessions and summary trials.
Amid rising tensions with the US, Iran’s ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, publicly thanked New Delhi for opposing a UN human rights council resolution seeking greater scrutiny of Iran’s rights record, calling India’s stance “principled and firm.”
The situation marks one of the most volatile periods in Iran-US relations in recent years, with both military readiness and domestic instability creating a tense environment.
