Media: Iran’s Khamenei goes underground as Israel vows to target him

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been relocated to a highly secure and undisclosed site, where he is now under the protection of a top-secret elite security unit, The Telegraph has learned.

Officials in Tehran revealed that this newly disclosed unit, composed of rigorously vetted personnel, is tasked exclusively with safeguarding Khamenei amid escalating threats to his life from Israel. The existence of the unit had been kept so tightly guarded that even senior commanders within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were reportedly unaware of it.

“He’s not hiding underground or in a bunker,” an Iranian official stated. “But given the danger he faces, there is a unit assigned to protect him that was deliberately kept unknown to prevent any chance of infiltration.”

Khamenei, who has led Iran since 1989, has long spoken of his readiness for “martyrdom” and has anticipated a potential assassination attempt by Israel. However, the threat has intensified sharply following Israel’s military campaign against Iran, which began last week and has already resulted in the targeted killings of at least 11 high-ranking Iranian military officers and 14 nuclear scientists.

Tensions surged further after an Israeli missile strike on a hospital in Beersheba on June 19, prompting Israeli leaders to speak more openly about targeting Khamenei himself. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refused to dismiss the idea of assassinating the Iranian leader, suggesting it “could bring an end to the conflict.”

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Israel Katz has taken an even harsher tone, labelling Khamenei a “modern Hitler” who “cannot be allowed to continue existing.”

Though US President Donald Trump previously blocked an Israeli plan to assassinate Khamenei, his recent remarks have struck a more menacing tone. On June 17, Trump said, “We know exactly where the so-called ‘supreme leader’ is hiding,” while clarifying that the United States had “no plans to target him — at least not for now.” He went on to describe Khamenei as an “easy target,” should that stance change.

Executing such an operation would require precise intelligence about Khamenei’s current whereabouts. While some regime insiders are reportedly preparing contingency plans involving relocation to Moscow, officials deny any such intention on Khamenei’s part.

“He is in Iran and he is not leaving,” one official insisted. “He will not run like the coward Assad. In this moment of foreign aggression, the morale of our people depends on his presence.”

At 86 years old, Khamenei traditionally resides and works at the Leadership House compound in Tehran’s District 11. However, recent public appearances suggest he has moved. In recent videos, Khamenei is seen speaking in front of a plain brown curtain — sometimes accompanied by a portrait of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini — a backdrop that sharply contrasts with his usual settings.

Analysis of the footage suggests the videos were recorded at the media operations centre of the IRGC in central Tehran, implying that Khamenei may now be located nearby, or possibly housed beneath the facility.

Due to a series of recent car bombings in the capital and the loss of many top officials, it is considered highly improbable that Khamenei is moving through Tehran by vehicle.

By Tamilla Hasanova