Khamenei emerges from bunker to celebrate anniversary of Islamic revolution

His appearance followed reports earlier in the week that he had been relocated to a secure underground facility amid fears of a potential US strike.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appeared publicly Saturday at the mausoleum of Ruhollah Khomeini, his first sighting since protests erupted in late December, as Iran began commemorations marking 47 years since the Islamic Revolution, the New York Post reports.

Images posted to the supreme leader’s official X account showed him praying at the shrine. The post read: “Today we mark the start of the celebrations for the forty-seventh anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution, with the presence of His Eminence Ayatollah Khamenei at the holy shrine of Imam Khomeini.”

His appearance followed reports earlier in the week that he had been relocated to a secure underground facility amid fears of a potential US strike.

An Iran International report dated January 24 said Masoud Khamenei, the ayatollah’s third son, had taken on day-to-day management of his father’s responsibilities and was serving as the primary conduit to government institutions.

Concerns over possible military action were echoed by Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani, who said Thursday that metro stations and underground parking facilities were being prepared as public “war shelters” in the event of an attack by the United States or Israel, according to Open Source Intelligence Monitor.

Khamenei, 86, had not been seen publicly since demonstrations over the country’s worsening economic conditions spread nationwide and were met with a violent response from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Estimates cited in reports indicate that as many as 35,000 protesters may have been killed.

His reappearance coincided with reports of explosions heard in multiple cities across Iran the same day. Local accounts said the blasts killed at least six people and wounded more than a dozen.

The developments came after President Trump said earlier in the week that US naval forces were moving toward Iran, describing a “massive armada” headed to the region. Iranian officials have denied any link between the explosions and outside attacks.