(TEHRAN) – Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reportedly moved into a fortified underground shelter in Tehran following warnings from senior security and military officials of an increased risk of a United States military strike. The move was reported on Saturday by Iran International, an opposition aligned media outlet.
According to the report, the underground complex includes a network of reinforced tunnels designed to protect the leadership during a potential attack. The outlet said that Massoud Khamenei, the Ayatollah’s third son, has assumed responsibility for managing the Supreme Leader’s day to day affairs and now serves as the primary channel of communication between the office of the Supreme Leader and Iran’s executive institutions.
Iranian concerns about a possible US strike intensified after US President Donald Trump said on Friday that American naval forces were moving towards waters near Iran. Trump stated that the United States had “a lot of ships heading towards Iran” and added that he hoped they would not need to be used.
A senior Iranian official responded by warning that any attack would be treated as an all out war against the Islamic Republic, a message repeated frequently by Iranian authorities in recent days. Iran’s National Security and Foreign Policy Parliamentary Commission was quoted by the Iranian Students News Agency as saying that an attack on Khamenei would trigger a declaration of jihad.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also warned that a strike on the Supreme Leader would amount to war against the Iranian nation. These statements followed earlier signals from Trump that appeared to reduce the likelihood of direct action, after he claimed that killings during Iran’s crackdown on nationwide protests were decreasing and that there were no plans for large scale executions.
Despite these claims, reports of violence against protesters have continued to emerge, even as internet restrictions remain in place across the country. A US based Iranian human rights organisation, Hana’s Tally, confirmed the deaths of at least 5,137 people during the unrest, although the true figure remains unknown.
On Friday, the US Treasury Department imposed new sanctions on Iran in response to the ongoing crackdown against demonstrators, further increasing pressure on Tehran.
Meanwhile, uncertainty surrounding US foreign policy has also reverberated across Europe. Denmark has reportedly prepared military contingencies in response to earlier statements by Trump regarding Greenland. Scandinavian broadcasters DR and SVT reported that Denmark deployed around 1,000 troops and a naval frigate equipped with anti aircraft and anti ship systems to Greenland, with standing orders to defend the territory if attacked.
Approximately 300 Danish troops have already arrived, supported by allied forces including a French mountain infantry unit. Denmark has also deployed the frigate Peter Willemoes to patrol waters off western Greenland, freeing other patrol vessels for inshore operations. Danish and Swedish media reported that troops were issued with live ammunition and that there was broad political support across party lines to resist any military threat.
The deployment forms part of a multi phase operation named Arctic Endurance, intended to demonstrate Denmark’s ability and willingness to defend its sovereignty. Forces involved include units from the Jutland Dragoon Regiment, engineering specialists, and F 35 fighter jets conducting patrols over Greenland for the first time. NATO partners including Sweden, Norway, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom have also participated.
Trump briefly threatened tariffs against participating countries before later withdrawing those comments. Analysts cited by SVT said the operation was designed not only to deter Russia and China but also to send a political signal to Washington.
Elsewhere, Russia’s sanctioned shadow fleet continued to face disruption. A Russian oil tanker carrying approximately 730,000 barrels of Urals crude encountered serious difficulties off the coast of Algeria. Tracking data cited by Bloomberg showed the vessel abruptly leaving major shipping lanes and later reporting that it was not under command, suggesting a mechanical failure. The tanker remains adrift in the Mediterranean.
In Russia’s Penza region, a fuel depot continued to burn for a second day following a reported strike, with emergency services struggling to fully contain the fire. Russian energy company Naftogaz has begun importing large volumes of electricity to cover more than half of the needs of its industrial group, freeing domestic supply for households amid winter demand and continued Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
In the United States, defence company Castellion announced the launch of Project Ranger, a major manufacturing campus in Sandoval County, New Mexico. The facility will focus on the serial production of hypersonic weapons for the US Army. The project represents an investment of more than 220 million US dollars, with an estimated economic impact of approximately 650 million US dollars over the next decade.
The campus will include facilities for solid fuel rocket engine production, testing and final assembly. Construction of the first building is expected to be completed this summer, with all 21 buildings operational by the end of 2026. According to Castellion’s chief executive, the project aims to address a critical shortage in industrial capacity for large scale hypersonic weapons production.
