The Lead
Exclusive footage obtained by journalist Mandy Asraf reportedly shows the entrance to a new missile tunnel complex currently under construction beneath the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) ground forces headquarters in eastern Tehran. The material, provided by an Iranian maintenance worker at the site, suggests a significant expansion of the regime's underground strategic infrastructure, though the claims remain independently unverified.
The footage, captured from the entrance of a tunnel currently being excavated, provides a rare glimpse into the IRGC's ongoing efforts to harden its missile arrays against potential aerial strikes. According to the worker who provided the documentation, the project consists of six distinct tunnels: three designed to house missile launchers and three intended for personnel and command functions. The site is located in eastern Tehran, a region known to house sensitive military installations, including the nearby Parchin complex.
High-Level Oversight
The source further claimed that the project has received direct attention from Iran's top leadership. Last Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf and IRGC commander Ahmad Vahidi reportedly conducted an unannounced visit to the site to inspect the tunnels and the missile systems being integrated into the facility. The worker noted that the visit occurred with no prior warning to the staff on-site, and he observed the officials for approximately two minutes during their inspection.
Strategic Context
This development follows a pattern of reported underground construction by the IRGC across Iran. As The Zioneer reported earlier in August, similar accounts from purported IRGC personnel have detailed vast tunnel networks beneath the same headquarters, intended for both storage and rapid-response launches. The use of underground "missile cities" is a cornerstone of Iran's force-protection doctrine, aimed at ensuring second-strike capabilities by shielding ballistic assets from pre-emptive intervention by the IAF or U.S. forces. While the authenticity of this specific footage is still being assessed, the details align with established Iranian military engineering practices and prior intelligence regarding the fortification of the capital's eastern military corridor.
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