Khamenei escape preparations are now part of Iran’s internal calculations as nationwide unrest intensifies and intelligence reports suggest the regime is bracing for collapse. According to a report shared with the Times of London, Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei has developed a contingency plan to flee Tehran for Moscow if protests spiral beyond the regime’s control.
The report states that Khamenei, 86, would depart Iran with a small circle of aides and family members, including his son Mojtaba, if security forces begin to defect or refuse orders. Russia would serve as the fallback destination, where Khamenei is believed to enjoy protection from President Vladimir Putin. The plan mirrors former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad’s escape to Moscow after his regime collapsed in late 2024.
Intelligence assessments cited by the Times describe Khamenei as increasingly isolated, physically weakened, and “obsessed with survival,” noting his absence from public view as protests spread across major Iranian cities. Demonstrators, driven by economic hardship and soaring inflation, accuse regime forces—including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps—of using live fire and mass arrests to crush dissent.
Pressure on Tehran intensified after U.S. and Israeli strikes last summer exposed Iran’s military and nuclear vulnerabilities. American B-2 bombers dropped bunker-buster munitions on the fortified Fordow nuclear site, rendering it inoperable, according to U.S. and Israeli officials. President Donald Trump warned that any attempt to restart the program would trigger further U.S. action.
The intelligence report also notes that Khamenei’s inner circle has quietly amassed cash and overseas assets to enable a rapid exit. The unfolding Khamenei escape scenario arrives as Washington signals a tougher posture toward hostile regimes, underscoring how sustained pressure abroad can amplify instability at home for America’s adversaries.
