According to the report from Reuters, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been moved to a secure location inside Iran, amid heightened security following the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah by Israel.
The decision to safeguard Khamenei comes in response to Israel’s aggressive military actions against Hezbollah, Iran’s most powerful ally in the region.
In a significant show of nervousness from Tehran, Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has been on high alert, having ordered its members to cease using any communication devices after reports that Israel sabotaged thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah.
Lebanon and Hezbollah have both blamed Israel for these attacks, although Israel has neither confirmed nor denied involvement.
Furthermore, Iran’s leadership is now coordinating with Hezbollah and other regional allies to determine its next steps following Nasrallah’s death, according to two officials briefed by Tehran.
They also confirmed that Israel’s strike on Beirut killed Abbas Nilforoushan, deputy commander of the Revolutionary Guards, along with other top officials, further escalating tensions.
Khamenei issued a defiant statement on Saturday, declaring that “the forces of resistance, with Hezbollah at the forefront, will shape the fate of the region.”
He vowed that “Nasrallah’s martyrdom will not go unavenged,” and announced a five-day mourning period in honor of the Hezbollah leader’s death.
Nasrallah’s assassination is seen as a major blow to Iran, as Hezbollah has long served as a key component of Iran’s influence in the Middle East.
Iran’s regional network, the so-called “Axis of Resistance,” includes groups like Hezbollah, Hamas, Iran-backed militias in Iraq, and the Houthis in Yemen.
The death of Nasrallah has further complicated the already volatile situation in the region.
Hezbollah has been exchanging fire with Israeli forces across the Lebanese border throughout the Gaza conflict, and the group has reiterated its commitment to fighting Israel until a ceasefire in Gaza is reached.
Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States of complicity in Nasrallah’s assassination, stating that “the Americans cannot deny their role in arming Israel and assisting in these actions.”
Tehran remains on high alert as it assesses its next moves in the ongoing conflict with Israel.
Peoplesmind