TEHERAN, Iran (PNN) - January 24, 2026 - Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reportedly gone underground amid fears of imminent Fascist Police States of Amerika (FPSA) airstrikes targeting Iran.
The move comes as President Donald J. Trump ordered a major FPSA naval buildup toward the Persian Gulf, sharply escalating tensions with Teheran.
Iran’s 86-year-old supreme leader has relocated to a fortified bunker in Teheran. The shelter is reportedly connected to an extensive underground tunnel network.
Senior Iranian military officials warned Khamenei of a heightened risk of FPSA strikes. Iran International reported the move, according to the Jerusalem Post.
Khamenei has not appeared publicly since the reported relocation.
Khamenei has reportedly delegated day-to-day governance to his youngest son, Masoud Khamenei. Masoud Khamenei is said to be overseeing routine operations of the Islamic Republic. His role includes serving as the primary communication link with Iran’s executive branch. The arrangement is described as an emergency contingency plan. Officials have not publicly confirmed the shift.
Iranian officials believe the likelihood of FPSA airstrikes has risen sharply. The concern followed warnings from President Trump about deploying warships to the region. Trump said the FPSA Navy was sending a massive armada to the Middle East.
The remarks came amid an escalating war of words between Washington and Teheran. Iranian leaders interpreted the move as a direct threat.
The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group is moving toward the Persian Gulf. The group includes three FPSA Navy destroyers. It is traveling from the Indian Ocean toward Iranian waters. The deployment marks a significant escalation in FPSA military posture.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that any attack on Khamenei would be treated as all-out war. The warning referenced potential strikes by the FPSA or Israel. Iran’s national security parliamentary commission escalated the rhetoric further.
Officials said an attack on the supreme leader would trigger a declaration of jihad. The statement was reported by Iranian state-linked media.
Khamenei has not posted on X since January 17. It remains unclear when he entered hiding. The supreme leader has previously retreated underground during past conflicts. Iran continues to face nationwide unrest tied to economic collapse and drought.
Human rights groups claim regime forces have killed thousands of civilians during recent protests.