Iran’s top religious leaders have declared President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu as “enemies of God,” issuing formal death warrants through fatwas that authorize their assassination and call for Muslims worldwide to take action against them.
Key Takeaways
- Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi has issued religious death warrants (fatwas) against President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu, declaring them “enemies of God” who must be eliminated.
- The religious decrees label Trump and Netanyahu as “mohareb” (warlords) and forbid Muslims or Islamic states from cooperating with them.
- These fatwas serve a dual purpose: externally declaring war on America and Israel while internally allowing Iranian security forces to arrest and silence regime critics.
- The religious proclamations follow recent military conflicts where Israel and the United States targeted Iranian nuclear facilities and Iran retaliated with missile strikes.
- President Trump responded by revealing he had previously considered sanctions relief for Iran but has withdrawn those considerations due to these threats.
Iranian Clerics Issue Religious Death Warrants
Iran’s religious leadership has escalated tensions with the United States and Israel by issuing fatwas explicitly calling for the assassination of President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi, one of Iran’s most influential religious figures, issued the ruling that officially declares both leaders as “enemies of God” – a designation that carries a death sentence under Islamic law. The proclamation represents a significant escalation in Iran’s confrontational stance toward its perceived enemies, moving beyond rhetoric to religious authorization for violence.
The fatwa explicitly states: “Any person or regime that threatens the Leader or Marja (May God forbid) is considered a ‘warlord’ or a ‘mohareb’,” said Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi.
Call for Global Muslim Action
The religious decree goes beyond simply condemning Trump and Netanyahu by actively calling for Muslims worldwide to take action against them. “Any cooperation or support for that enemy by Muslims or Islamic states is haram or forbidden. It is necessary for all Muslims around the world to make these enemies regret their words and mistakes,” declared Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi.
The fatwas carry severe penalties under Islamic law, including death, crucifixion, and exile for those deemed “enemies of God.” These religious rulings are particularly significant in Shia-majority Iran, where they hold both religious and political influence. While not technically binding, fatwas issued by high-ranking clerics like Shirazi and Grand Ayatollah Hossein Nouri Hamedani, who also issued a similar fatwa, are taken very seriously by devout followers globally and can inspire violent action.
Domestic Control Through Religious Decree
The issuance of these fatwas serves a dual purpose for the Iranian regime. Externally, they project power and defiance against the United States and Israel, but internally, they provide legal and religious cover for Tehran’s security forces to detain and eliminate regime critics. By labeling Trump and Netanyahu as “mohareb” and extending this designation to anyone collaborating with the United States or Israel, the regime has created a broad justification for cracking down on domestic dissent under the guise of religious authority.
“Any person or regime that threatens the Leader or Marja (May God forbid) is considered a ‘warlord’ or a ‘mohareb’,” declared Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi, labeling both leaders as “an enemy of Allah.”
Experts have compared these new fatwas to a notorious 1988 fatwa by Ayatollah Khomeini that led to mass executions of political prisoners. The current edicts similarly empower the regime to brutally suppress any opposition under the pretense of religious duty. This demonstrates how Iran’s clerical leadership manipulates religious authority to maintain control while simultaneously threatening external enemies.
Military Conflict Context
These religious proclamations come in the wake of significant military confrontations between Iran, Israel, and the United States. Recent Israeli bombings killed several top Iranian military commanders and scientists involved in Iran’s nuclear program, prompting Iranian missile strikes on Israeli cities. The conflict expanded when United States forces joined Israel in targeting Iranian nuclear facilities, leading to Iranian attacks on an American military installation in Qatar before a ceasefire was reached.
President Trump responded to the fatwas by revealing he had been considering sanctions relief for Iran but has now reversed that position due to their threats. In a public statement, Trump noted that he had previously spared the life of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and criticized Iran’s escalating hostile rhetoric. This exchange highlights the volatile nature of U.S.-Iran relations under Trump’s administration and the consistent pattern of Iranian aggression despite diplomatic overtures.
