Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is facing his most serious domestic challenge in years, with protests breaking out nationwide amid accumulating pressures that have undermined his regime’s stability.
U.S. and British intelligence agencies believe that Khamenei has developed a plan to flee to Moscow if protests in Iran spiral out of control, according to a recent report by British outlet The Times.
On Saturday, Khamenei declared that “rioters must be put in their place,” signaling likely approval for security forces to crack down following a week of protests that have rattled the Islamic Republic. Reuters has reported the killing of at least 25 people during the first nine days of protests that began in the bazaar of Tehran.
Newsweek has contacted the Iranian and Russian foreign ministries for comment.
Why It Matters
U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran that it would be “hit very hard” if more protesters died as demonstrations entered a second week. He also issued threats of striking the country over its nuclear and missile development programs, supporting Israel in its ongoing tensions with Tehran amid security concerns. Both the U.S. and Israel have promoted the idea of regime change in Iran.
Iran has grown increasingly wary and is still dealing with the consequences of Israeli and American strikes during a 12‑day conflict in June. Sanctions and tensions have severely squeezed its economy, and its currency has plummeted to record lows—further eroding purchasing power and contributing to soaring inflation that has driven many Iranians into hardship and helped fuel nationwide protests.
A severe water crisis affecting reservoirs and urban supplies has also intensified public frustration amid calls for broader political change.
What To Know
Khamenei, 86, and his inner circle have developed a contingency plan to leave Tehran if the protests escalate beyond the regime’s control, The Times reported, citing an intelligence report.
The plan involves about 20 close aides and family members, including his son and designated heir, Mojtaba Khamenei. Defections or refusals among army and security units tasked with suppressing the unrest would trigger the contingency plan. The leader’s network of overseas assets and liquid cash is said to be a key enabler of the proposed escape.
In a recent precedent, former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia as rebels toppled his regime in 2024 after a 13-year civil war.
Videos on social media show heavy security deployments in Iran, fires and large crowds marching in cities, while authorities have arrested about 1,200 people. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said he was “deeply saddened by the reported loss of life and injuries.”
Economic relief measures have been introduced, including the appointment of a new central bank governor, though analysts say these are unlikely to fully quell public discontent as the inflation rate rose to 40 percent, according to the Associated Press.
Iran, which has strongly rejected the U.S.’s capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, may be among the regimes that could face heightened scrutiny or potential U.S. action in a similar vein, according to observers.
What People Are Saying
An intelligence source told The Times on Sunday: “They have plotted an exit route out of Tehran should they feel the need to escape … gathering assets, properties abroad and cash to facilitate their safe passage.”
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Saturday, per Iranian media: “A number of agitated people, enemy mercenaries, had positioned themselves behind bazaar merchants and chanted slogans against Islam, against Iran and against the Islamic Republic.”
He added: “Protest is legitimate, but protest is different from rioting. Officials should speak with protesters. Speaking with a rioter is pointless. Rioters must be put in their place.”
U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social on Friday: “If Iran shots [sic] and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
What Happens Next
The Iranian Foreign Ministry warned on Friday that the United States would bear “full responsibility for the consequences” if it intervened in ongoing protests inside the country.