The 86-year-old leader would leave Tehran with a small inner circle of around 20 aides and family members if he determines that the army and security services are no longer loyal, are refusing to carry out orders, or are siding with protesters.
The group reportedly includes his son and presumed successor, Mojtaba Khamenei.
“This is ‘Plan B’ for Khamenei and his very close circle of associates and family,” a Western intelligence source told The Times.
Beni Sabti, a former Iranian who later worked for Israeli intelligence, said Khamenei’s most likely destination would be Moscow. He argued that the Iranian leader “has nowhere else to go,” noting Khamenei’s admiration for Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and what he described as cultural similarities between Iran’s ruling elite and Russia.
The plan was reportedly shaped in part by the recent downfall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a close ally of Tehran. Assad fled Damascus to Moscow in December 2024, just ahead of the opposition’s advance on the Syrian capital, and later reunited with his family there.
“They have developed a way out of Tehran in case they feel the need to flee,” the intelligence source said, adding that the preparations include securing assets, property abroad, and cash to facilitate a rapid departure.
Iran has been rocked by large-scale anti-government protests since late 2025. The demonstrations initially erupted in Tehran among business owners angered by the deteriorating economic situation and the sharp fall of the national currency. In 2025, the Iranian rial lost nearly half its value against the U.S. dollar, while inflation climbed to 42.5% in December.
The unrest widened on Dec. 30 when university students joined the protests, which then spread to dozens of cities nationwide. Protesters have openly chanted slogans against Iran’s religious leadership.
As of Jan. 1, 2026, at least seven people had been killed in four cities amid the unrest, according to the Associated Press.