Off The Record Podcast
Off The Record Podcast
January 5, 2026

🚨 BREAKING: Khamenei Plans Exit To Moscow - IRGC Lose Power In Iran

Quick Read

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is reportedly planning an escape to Moscow with his inner circle as Iranian protesters, now armed and joined by defecting police, escalate their fight against the IRGC across the country.
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's exit plan to Moscow, with 20 close associates, is allegedly confirmed by 'The Times'.
Iranian citizens are now armed, using Molotov cocktails and guns to attack IRGC bases and police stations.
Police officers are defecting to the revolution, and the IRGC is losing control, signaling regime instability.

Summary

The host reports that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, 86, is planning an exit to Moscow with up to 20 close advisors and family members, a plan allegedly confirmed by multiple sources including 'The Times'. This development comes as anti-regime protests intensify across Iran, with citizens arming themselves with weapons and Molotov cocktails, attacking IRGC bases, and burning police stations. Official police forces are defecting to the revolution, and the IRGC is described as having lost total control. The host details the regime's propaganda tactics, the international media's reliance on state sources, and the potential geopolitical shifts if the Iranian regime falls, including impacts on conflicts in Yemen and Lebanon, and the funding of groups like Hezbollah and Hamas.
The reported exit plan of Iran's Supreme Leader signals a potential collapse of the Islamic Republic, which would dramatically reshape Middle Eastern geopolitics. A regime change in Iran could end funding for proxy groups like Hezbollah and Hamas, alter regional conflicts, and potentially lead to a more pro-Western Iran. This situation highlights the fragility of authoritarian regimes when faced with widespread armed popular uprisings and internal defections, offering a case study in revolutionary dynamics and international media's role in reporting such events.

Takeaways

  • Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is reportedly planning an escape to Moscow with his son Mojtaba and a small inner circle, gathering assets abroad for safe passage.
  • Iranian protesters are now armed with weapons and Molotov cocktails, actively attacking and taking over IRGC bases and police stations.
  • Official police officers are defecting from the regime, with some publicly burning their police cards and supporting the revolution.
  • The IRGC is described as having lost 'total control' in various parts of the country, with Tehran's capital burning for the eighth consecutive night.
  • The host suggests that any Israeli military intervention should focus on internal assassination plots rather than air force attacks to avoid disrupting the uprising.
  • The fall of the Iranian regime is predicted to end conflicts in Yemen and Lebanon, defund Hezbollah and Hamas, and positively impact the Middle East.
  • The host criticizes international media for relying solely on state sources, even when evidence (like the hospital raid footage) contradicts official narratives.

Insights

1Khamenei's Alleged Moscow Exit Plan Signals Regime Weakness

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is reportedly planning to escape Tehran to Moscow with approximately 20 close advisors and family members, including his son Mojtaba. This plan involves gathering assets and properties abroad to facilitate their passage. The host emphasizes that such a leak, showing weakness, is unprecedented for the regime and indicates a significant loss of internal morale among loyalists.

Reportedly confirmed by multiple sources, including 'The Times'. The host states, 'This news of exit to Moscow has now been confirmed by multiple sources including The Times.' and 'The 86-year-old Ali is now planning his escape from Tehran with a close circle of up to 20 of his closest advisers and family.'

2Armed Uprising and Police Defections Undermine IRGC Control

Iranian citizens have armed themselves with weapons and Molotov cocktails, actively engaging the IRGC and burning down police stations. Simultaneously, official police officers are defecting to the revolution, with one officer notably burning Khamenei's photo and writing 'Long live the king' on a wall. These combined actions signify a widespread loss of control by the IRGC and a critical turning point in the uprising.

Videos show protesters using Molotov cocktails and weapons against IRGC bases (, ). The host states, 'The IRGC have lost total control. Police officers one by one are defecting to the revolution.' () and details a police officer's public defection ().

3Regime Propaganda and Media Bias Obscure On-Ground Realities

The Iranian regime consistently propagates a narrative of strength and control, even when facing severe internal unrest. International media, particularly 'liberal Western media,' are criticized for exclusively reporting from official state sources, even when visual evidence from the ground contradicts these claims. This selective reporting hinders accurate understanding of the revolution's progress and the regime's actions, such as the raid on a hospital where protesters sought refuge.

The host notes, 'The Islamic Republic never want to show weakness. They never spread rumors about exit plans.' () and 'the international media are only reporting from the regime sources.' (). Footage of a hospital raid is shown, which the regime falsely attributed to protesters ().

4Fall of Iranian Regime Would Reshape Regional Geopolitics

The potential collapse of the Iranian regime is anticipated to have profound positive impacts across the Middle East. This includes the end of the conflict in Yemen, a resolution in Lebanon with Hezbollah losing power, and the defunding of Hamas. The host also suggests a cessation of funding for 'leftwing activist groups and mosques and Islamic centers' in Western countries that are allegedly supported by the Iranian regime.

The host explains, 'the region in general the Middle East will completely change... Yemen for example that the conflict in Yemen will come to an end... The situation of course in Lebanon will finally get sorted... Hamas won't have any money.' ()

Bottom Line

The leak of Khamenei's exit plan, despite the regime's historical efforts to project strength, suggests a deliberate internal betrayal or a complete breakdown of loyalty at the highest levels, aimed at destroying morale within the regime.

So What?

This indicates that the regime's inner circle is fracturing, with individuals prioritizing self-preservation over loyalty to the Supreme Leader. This internal strife could accelerate the regime's collapse as key figures anticipate being excluded from any escape plan.

Impact

External actors seeking regime change could exploit these internal divisions by amplifying such leaks or encouraging further defections, potentially offering incentives for high-ranking officials to abandon the Supreme Leader.

Lessons

  • Monitor reports from independent media and citizen journalists in Iran, as mainstream outlets may be slow to report or rely on regime-controlled narratives.
  • Observe the rate of police and military defections as a key indicator of the revolution's progress and the regime's weakening control.
  • Analyze the geopolitical reactions from regional powers like Saudi Arabia and Israel, as their actions or statements could influence the uprising's trajectory.

Notable Moments

IRGC forces raid a hospital in Ilam where protesters sought refuge, deploying tear gas and engaging in violence against trapped civilians.

This incident highlights the regime's extreme tactics and disregard for civilian safety and international norms, potentially galvanizing further public outrage and international condemnation.

Quotes

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"Now that the intel is coming out that the plan is there to go to Moscow. Everything is changing."

Amaya Tusi
"

"The IRGC have lost total control. Police officers one by one are defecting to the revolution."

Amaya Tusi
"

"If all dictators flee to Moscow, the Delta Force only needs to make one more trip."

Caller/Chatter
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"The Iranian people are effing awesome. May God be with them. They're extremely brave considering how many of them have been killed over the last few days. Usually that's when they go home. But they they just keep coming out. More people are coming out."

Amaya Tusi

Q&A

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