Times Report on Khamenei's 'Plan' to Flee Iran in Case of Intensified Anti-Government Protests

According to an intelligence report shared with the British newspaper The Times, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, has a plan to flee the country if his security forces are unable to suppress the ongoing anti-government protests or if they experience a breakdown. The 86-year-old Khamenei intends to leave Tehran under such conditions with a close circle of up to 20 aides and family members. The Times reports that an 'intelligence source' informed them of the plan for Khamenei and his very close circle, including his son Mojtaba. The report also mentions other officials of the Islamic Republic, such as Ali Larijani, whose family members already live abroad. Previously, Bashar al-Assad, the former dictator of Syria, fled to Russia shortly before the fall of his regime. Assad was an ally of Khamenei. Another ally of Khamenei, Nicolas Maduro, was recently captured by American forces and is set to be tried on charges including drug trafficking. On Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters that if the Islamic Republic 'starts killing people like before, I think the United States will hit them hard.' A reporter asked Mr. Trump about the casualties in the ongoing protests in Iran and reminded him that he said they were ready and armed. When will the United States intervene in these protests? Mr. Trump responded, 'We will take a look. We are closely monitoring this [protests]. If they start killing people like before, I think the United States will hit them hard.' The Islamic Republic has repeatedly carried out mass killings of opposing citizens in past protests. However, it now faces military threats from the U.S. President. Trump stated regarding the protests in Iran: 'We are watching it; if the Islamic Republic kills people like before, the U.S. will hit them hard.' The nationwide uprising against the Islamic Republic continues and has spread to several cities in Iran.