As the possibility of U.S. military action against Iran is being discussed, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei made a public appearance on the 31st (local time). On Khamenei's official X (formerly Twitter) account that day, a post said he visited the mausoleum of Imam Ruhollah Khomeini to pay his respects, along with a photo of him praying.
Khomeini overthrew the Pahlavi dynasty in the 1979 revolution, established a theocratic system, and served as the first supreme leader. After Khomeini died in 1989, Khamenei succeeded him as supreme leader.
This move drew attention in conjunction with recent media claims of a "secret underground facility." The Jerusalem Post noted that this public update came right after speculation emerged that Khamenei had moved to a secure underground site. The Times of Israel also said the release of photos itself is unusual, interpreting it as an attempt to highlight a stable posture externally.
The spark for the secret-hideout claim was a report by Iran International. The outlet reported on the 24th that after large-scale anti-government protests earlier this month were met with a hard-line crackdown and as the possibility of U.S. military intervention was discussed, Khamenei had moved to and was staying in a fortified underground facility.