An intelligence report shared with The Times of the United Kingdom says that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei plans to flee Iran for Moscow if protests spin out of control.

As described in a story published Sunday, Jan. 4, “Khamenei, 86, plans to escape Tehran with a close circle of up to 20 aides and family, should he see that the army and security called on to quell the unrest are deserting, defecting or failing to follow orders.”

Beni Sabti, who fled Iran after the Islamic Revolution and served in Israeli intelligence, told The Times that Moscow is the only place Khamenei could go.

The Times noted that fallen Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad fled Damascus to Moscow after opposition forces stormed the capital city in December 2024.

Khamenei Has Means to Finance Escape

Khamenei has sufficient wealth to finance an escape should Iran be on the precipice of regime change.

In 2013, Reuters estimated that his holdings totaled $95 billion.

Many of Khamenei closest aides already live abroad, including in the United States, Canada, and Dubai.

Read more at this link.