- By Shivangi Sharma
- Mon, 05 Jan 2026 05:13 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Speculation over a possible regime change in Iran has intensified after US President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Tehran amid escalating nationwide protests, while a media report claimed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei may be preparing to flee the country.
The Times quoted an intelligence report alleging that Khamenei plans to escape Tehran with a close circle of up to 20 aides and family members if the unrest worsens. The report cited Beni Sabti, a former Israeli intelligence official who fled Iran eight years after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, as saying that Khamenei would likely flee to Moscow because “there is no other place for him.” Sabti claimed the Iranian leader “admires Putin” and feels culturally closer to Russia.
Protests Spread Across Tehran
Demonstrations continued across Tehran and other parts of Iran on Sunday, entering their eighth consecutive day. Heavy security deployments were reported around Tehran’s main bazaar and major shopping centres, with many shops remaining closed. According to Iran International, plainclothes security agents were seen in surrounding streets.
Videos circulating on social media showed crowds chanting slogans at security forces as tear gas was fired and motorcycle-mounted units were deployed along Jomhouri Street. Overnight protests were reported in dozens of cities, including Tehran neighbourhoods such as Narmak, Naziabad and Hafez Street, as well as provincial cities like Sangsar in Semnan, Nurabad-e Mamasani in Fars, Sari in Mazandaran and Malekshahi in Ilam.
Economic Collapse Fuels Public Anger
The unrest began on December 28 amid deepening economic distress. The Iranian rial plunged to a record low of approximately 1.45 million to the US dollar in December 2025, losing nearly half its value since the start of the year.
Inflation has surged sharply, with food prices reportedly rising by 72 per cent and medical goods by 50 per cent, intensifying public frustration and demands for political regime change.
The intelligence report surfaced as Trump warned Iran that it would be “hit very hard” if security forces killed protesters. “We’re watching it very closely. If they start killing people like they have in the past, I think they’re going to get hit very hard by the United States,” he told reporters. Earlier, Trump posted on Truth Social: “We are locked and loaded and ready to go.”
Long History Of US-Iran Hostility
Relations between Iran and the US have remained deeply strained since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which followed decades of close ties under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Diplomatic ties were severed after the 444-day US embassy hostage crisis in Tehran.
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