Iran’s Power Struggle: Is Khamenei Running or Reinventing History?

Tehran is a battlefield. Missiles scream through the night sky, and whispers of fleeing leaders ripple through the chaos. Is Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei bolting for Russia? Or is Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu the one playing hide-and-seek in Greece? Rewind to 1978, when Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini ran Iran’s revolution from a French suburb, his smuggled tapes roasting the Shah. Leaders fleeing? Iran’s history repeats itself—rulers run when the fires get too hot. The latest chapter? Khamenei and Netanyahu playing their own version of Khomeini’s game?

The Achaemenid Empire (550–330 BCE) was the gold standard—Cyrus the Great glued Persians, Arabs, and Jews into a global juggernaut. By the Qajar dynasty (1789–1925), it was a dumpster fire. Shahs sold Iran to Britain and Russia, ethnic beefs (Persians, Azeris, Kurds) exploded, and reformers hightailed it to Europe. The Qajars’ crash birthed the Pahlavi Shahs’ Botoxed modernity, but Khomeini wasn’t having it.

From Neauphle-le-Château, Khomeini didn’t just flee—he rewrote Iran’s destiny from exile. His 1979 Islamic Revolution redrew Iran’s map. Now, Israel’s strikes are shredding Iran’s nukes and generals, and Netanyahu’s crowing that Khamenei’s crew is “packing their bags” (Netanyahu). X posts like @ @uricohenisrael talk about rumors that Khamenei is in Moscow now, but Reuters has him in Tehran, scheming (Reuters Staff). Meanwhile, Netanyahu’s plane, Wing of Zion, hit Athens, sparking “Bibi’s bailed” rumors. Spoiler: it was just Israel’s ambassador, parked for safety, not a French-style exodus (CNN Greece).

This isn’t new. Persia’s history is a merry-go-round of glory and getaway. Achaemenid unity tanked into Qajar chaos, then Khomeini’s iron grip. Netanyahu’s no exile—his X posts from Bat Yam prove he’s sticking it out—but Khamenei’s silence fuels the gossip (Netanyahu). If either’s playing Khomeini’s game, they’re not spilling. Persia’s lesson? Exiles don’t just run—they rewrite history. But this time, history might be written in fire.

Works Cited

• CNN Greece. “Netanyahu’s Plane in Athens Carried Ambassador Katz.” CNN Greece, 14 June 2025, www.cnn.gr/kosmos/netanyahu-plane-athens.

• Netanyahu, Benjamin. “Statement on Iranian Leadership.” Israeli Government Press Office, 14 June 2025, www.gov.il/en/statements.

• Netanyahu, Benjamin [@netanyahu]. “Iran will pay a heavy price…” X, 15 June 2025, 6:46 AM, x.com/netanyahu/status.

• Reuters Staff. “Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei Is Alive, Security Source Tells Reuters.” Reuters, 12 June 2025, www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/irans-supreme-leader-khamenei-is-alive-security-source-tells-reuters-2025-06-12/.