Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has missed the annual February 8 meeting with Air Force commanders for the first time in 37 years, breaking a tradition he maintained even during the COVID pandemic. His absence has fueled speculation that he may have moved to a secure location as U.S. military forces mass near Iran, while others see it as a political signal during the most dangerous standoff since last year’s conflict.
Instead, Armed Forces chief Abdolrahim Mousavi addressed the ceremony, an unusual shift in a system centered on Khamenei’s authority. The development comes as the USS Abraham Lincoln, submarines, destroyers, and B-52 bombers deploy within striking distance, creating one of the largest U.S. force buildups in years and intensifying fears of imminent confrontation.
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