Iran’s Supreme Leader Hides in Bunker, Names Successors Amid Strife

• Iran prohibits cell phone use among high-ranking officials to avert surveillance.
• A formal succession strategy has been established, naming three potential successors.
• Interestingly, his son Mojtaba was left off the successor list.

Amid escalating tensions with Israel, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reportedly implemented significant precautions to safeguard his life and secure the nation’s leadership, as detailed in a recent report by the New York Times.

According to three Iranian officials familiar with the situation, Khamenei has ceased using electronic devices and now communicates with military leaders solely through a trusted aide to minimize the risk of being monitored.

Currently, he is believed to be residing in a heavily fortified bunker. The seriousness of the situation is underscored by the fact that Khamenei has devised a succession plan.

This plan includes designating alternatives for crucial military positions and identifying three senior clerics who could potentially succeed him if he were to be assassinated.

Officials quoted in the report suggest that Khamenei fears that Israel, or perhaps the United States, may be plotting an attack on him.

Security measures throughout the government have been intensified. The Times indicates that Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence has banned the use of phones and electronic devices among high-ranking officials and military personnel to prevent the risk of surveillance or tracking.

Notably, Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, previously considered a likely successor, has not been included in the list of designated heirs.

As of now, Iranian officials have not issued a public comment regarding the report.