Iran's Supreme Leader has a plan to free his country for Russia, it has been claimed.

22:20, Thu, Jan 8, 2026 Updated: 22:46, Thu, Jan 8, 2026

Protesters in the street in Iran tonight

Protesters in the street in Iran tonight (Image: X)

Protests continue to rage in Iran for the 12th day, with a defence expert believing the regime is "over". Former security minister Tom Tugendhat responded to a video of a government building in Tehran on fire, questioning how long the regime has left. He wrote on X: "The regime is over.

"The questions now are: How long will it take to die? and How many more will it kill in the time it has left?" The wave of unrest began late last month over mounting frustration with the Iranian regime and its handling of the economic crisis. Shopkeepers and university students have taken to the streets following a sharp fall in the value of the national currency, the rial.

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The country on strike. Massive numbers on the streets. Internet cut. Mullahs seen at Moscow airport. Yet the regime still shoot at protestors. Many dead. But the people keep on coming. The courage of our fellow human beings is staggering. #IranRevolution2026
Tehran tonight ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/5XIZnQFnSI

— Omid Djalili (@omid9) January 8, 2026

In 2025, it sunk to a record low, while inflation hit 40% amid sanctions over the country's nuclear programme.

According to the Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA), at least 34 protesters and four security personnel have been killed and 2,200 protesters have been arrested.

The country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, reportedly plans to flee to Russia if protestors overwhelm his security forces.

He could take up to 20 aides and family members if those trying to suppres the protests start defecting or stop following orders, an intelligence source told The Times.

Beni Sabti, an operative who served in Israeli intelligence after fleeing Iran, claimed that the Ayatollah "admires Putin, while the Iranian culture is more similar to the Russian culture".

He said: "The ‘plan B’ is for Khamenei and his very close circle of associates and family, including his son and nominated heir apparent, Mojtaba."

Mr Sabti said the plan involves an "exit route out of Tehran should they feel the need to escape" and "gathering assets, properties abroad and cash to facilitate their safe passage".

Donald Trump has also threatened to intervene, saying the US will hit Iran "very hard" if "they start killing people". 

He told radio host Hugh Hewitt: "I have let them know that if they start killing people, which they tend to do during their riots… We’re going to hit them very hard."