Iran's top leader Ali Khamenei has been transferred to a top secret location and assigned security to an elite bodyguard unit that has never been exposed, amid public threats from Israel and concerns that the country's intelligence has penetrated deep into the Iranian government apparatus.
The security increase for Mr. Khamenei comes amid escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, especially after the US lightningstrike on three nuclear facilities in Iran.
In response to the urgent situation, Mr. Khamenei has taken strategic steps to ensure the stability of the regime in case he himself is assassinated.
Accordingly, the Supreme Leader of Iran has appointed three senior Islamic teachers as successor candidates. At the same time, he also issued an extraordinary directive, requiring the Board of Directors - the agency responsible for selecting successors - to select a new Supreme Leader from the designated list. However, the identities of these three people have not been made public.
In parallel with the establishment of successors, Mr. Khamenei is also preparing a plan to replace key military command positions in case the close generals continue to die in the conflict.
Regarding the US airstrike on the night of June 21, which targeted the Fordow nuclear facility, Iranian officials said residents in the area were not threatened. The Qom Provincial crisis Management Agency said: "There is no danger to the people of Qom and the area around the Fordow nuclear enrichment facility."
Mehdi Mohammadi, Iran's parliamentary selectman, stressed that Tehran had anticipated the possibility of an attack. According to him, the Fordow facility was evacuated first and suffered no irreparable damage during the attack.
