Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been moved to a secure location within the country, sources told Reuters on Saturday, a day after Israel killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in a strike on Beirut.
This precautionary measure underscores the heightened tension in the region following the death of Nasrallah, who led the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said Iran is in contact with Hezbollah and other regional proxy groups to determine the next steps.
The strike that killed Nasrallah also claimed the life of Abbas Nilforoushan, the deputy commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, according to Iranian media reports on Saturday. This latest loss adds to a series of high-ranking Revolutionary Guard commanders killed since the outbreak of the Gaza War last year.
In response to Nasrallah’s death, Khamenei issued a statement saying, “The fate of this region will be determined by the forces of resistance, with Hezbollah at the forefront.” He also declared five days of mourning, vowing that “The blood of the martyr shall not go unavenged.”
The loss of Nasrallah is a significant blow to Iran’s regional influence. Nasrallah was instrumental in building Hezbollah into a key component of Tehran’s network of allied groups in the Arab world, known as the ‘Axis of Resistance’. This network includes Hamas in Gaza, Iran-backed militias in Iraq, and the Houthis in Yemen.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States of complicity in Nasrallah’s death, citing its role as a weapons supplier to Israel. “The Americans cannot deny their complicity with the Zionists,” he said in a statement carried by state media.
The recent events have heightened security concerns within Iran. Earlier this month, Reuters reported that the Revolutionary Guards had ordered its members to stop using communication devices after thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah exploded. An Iranian security official, speaking anonymously, revealed that a large-scale operation is underway to inspect all communications devices, many of which were either homemade or imported from China and Russia.
The official added that Iran is concerned about infiltration by Israeli agents, including Iranians potentially on Israel’s payroll. A thorough investigation of personnel, targeting mid and high-ranking members of the Revolutionary Guards, has already begun.
