According to Iran International, Ali Asghar Hejazi, the deputy chief of staff to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, is in negotiations with Russian officials to secure a potential exit from Iran for himself and his family. This revelation comes amid the escalating war between Iran and Israel, a conflict that has plunged the region into deeper instability and raised fears among Iran’s political elite about the future of the regime.
As a result of the ongoing war, concerns over internal unrest and external military pressure have intensified within Tehran’s power structure. Hejazi, a close confidant of Khamenei, has reportedly received personal assurances from a senior Russian official that Moscow would provide a secure corridor for his evacuation should the situation deteriorate further. The involvement of Russia—a long-time ally—underscores the seriousness of the threat perceived by Iranian leadership figures and their reliance on foreign allies for contingency plans.
Further reports suggest that Hejazi is not alone in seeking an exit strategy. Other senior Iranian officials are believed to have established similar contacts, with some already finalizing their own evacuation plans. These developments point to a growing sense of unease within the upper echelons of Iran’s government. That multiple high-ranking figures are preparing to flee indicates a profound crisis of confidence in the regime’s stability, triggered in no small part by the destructive consequences of the war with Israel and the volatile conditions it has created.