The Media Line: Report Says Khamenei Hiding in Bunker as IRGC Claims Peak Readiness and US Warships Move Closer  

Report Says Khamenei Hiding in Bunker as IRGC Claims Peak Readiness and US Warships Move Closer   

By The Media Line Staff  

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has relocated to a fortified underground site in Tehran following assessments by senior military and security officials that the risk of a potential US strike has risen, according to two sources close to the government who spoke to Iran International, an opposition-affiliated news agency.  

The location was described as a hardened complex featuring interconnected tunnels designed to withstand attack. The move comes as concerns grow within Iran’s leadership about possible external threats, particularly from the US, amid ongoing unrest and regional tensions.  

At the same time, Masoud Khamenei, the supreme leader’s third son, has assumed responsibility for the daily management of his father’s office and now serves as the primary conduit for communication between the leader and the executive branches of government, the sources said.  

Iranian officials have publicly pushed back on reports that the supreme leader is sheltering in a bunker. Speaking to Indian news agency NDTV on Saturday, Iran’s Consul General in Mumbai, Saeid Reza Mosayeb Motlagh, dismissed claims that Khamenei is in hiding while acknowledging that he is conducting meetings remotely.  

“We are not afraid of any foreign powers. Some people are spreading rumors. It is natural that His Eminence must have security personnel protecting him, as in any other country. However, one should not think that he is hidden in a bunker or a shelter,” he said.  

According to Motlagh, Khamenei continues to hold required meetings with officials through video conferencing and other remote means.  

Meanwhile, General Mohammad Pakpour, commander the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp said the force is “more ready than ever, finger on the trigger,” as US warships make their way to the Middle East.   

He warned the US and Israel “to avoid any miscalculation,” as reported by Nournews, a news agency linked to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.   

“The Islamic Revolutionary Guards and dear Iran stand more ready than ever, finger on the trigger, to execute the orders and directives of the Commander-in-Chief,” Pakpour reportedly said.   

Although US President Donald Trump stood down from threats to attack the Islamic Republic over a week ago, the US has been moving warships towards Iran, which the president claims is a precautionary measure.   

On Thursday, aboard Air Force One, President Trump said the move was “just in case” he wants to take action.  

“We have a massive fleet heading in that direction and maybe we won’t have to use it,” he said.