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Iran's ayatollah may be evacuating gold to Russia, Moscow Times says
From the Moscow Times, Amsterdam
Friday, January 9, 2026
Russian military transport aircraft have begun making frequent flights to Tehran since the onset of mass protests spreading across Iran, threatening the current regime's. Russia may be providing military and technical support while simultaneously preparing for the evacuation of the supreme leader and his closest aides, including the removal of gold.
Russia similarly facilitated the escape of dictator Bashar al-Assad from Syria just over a year ago.
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Between December 27 and January 1, IL-76TD aircraft, disguised as civilian aircraft, operated scheduled flights from Mineralnye Vody to Tehran, flying over the Caucasus and avoiding NATO-controlled airspace, according to the specialized publication Air Cargo Week:
https://aircargoweek.com/heavy-airlift-flights-in-operation-between-russia-and-iran/
These are not random charter flights but rather targeted operations, as indicated by the repeated use of the same aircraft and the operators' clear prioritization of speed and reliability over cost efficiency, the publication notes. "The decision to operate multiple flights instead of a single consolidated cargo movement is consistent with military logistics doctrine," Air Cargo Week said.
Protests in Iran erupted on December 28 and have since spread to many cities. The immediate trigger was the rial's fall to a record low; furthermore, "the population is experiencing enormous -- if not unbearable -- problems due to the deteriorating economic situation and crises in water, electricity, and gas supplies," notes orientalist Mikhail Krutikhin.
Although mass protests over deteriorating living conditions have occurred in Iran several times before, Krutikhin adds that the regime is currently weakened following its defeat in the 12-day June war with Israel. Against this backdrop, reports have emerged that Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is preparing to flee to Moscow and smuggle gold.
British MP Tom Tugendhat said Thursday that there are reports of Russian cargo planes landing in Tehran and removing large quantities of gold from the country. "We are also seeing Russian cargo planes landing in Tehran, presumably carrying weapons and ammunition, and we are hearing reports of large quantities of gold being removed from Iran," he was quoted as saying by the UK-based opposition publication Iran International. ...
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