Just when you thought the Middle East may be simmering, it picks back up. And they’re taking it straight to the American homeland.
Because an Iranian cleric issued a death warrant for Donald Trump.
Iranian Cleric’s Fatwa Targets Trump and Netanyahu
On Sunday, June 29, 2025, Iran’s Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi issued a religious decree, or fatwa, targeting President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, labeling them as threats to the Islamic community.
According to the New York Sun, the fatwa designates individuals or governments challenging the “leadership and unity of the global Islamic community (the Ummah)” as “warlords” or “mohareb,” a term meaning those who wage war against God.
Under Iranian law, such a designation can carry penalties including execution, crucifixion, limb amputation, or exile.
“Those who threaten the leadership and integrity of the Islamic Ummah are to be considered warlords,” Makarem stated, concluding with a prayer for protection from these “enemies” and the return of the Mahdi, a messianic figure in Shiite Islam.
The decree follows the “12-Day War,” a period of intense conflict from June 13 to June 23, 2025, during which Israeli and U.S. airstrikes targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities, significantly disrupting its capabilities, per Reuters.
Context of the “12-Day War”
The fatwa comes in the wake of escalated tensions in the Middle East. On June 13, Israel launched airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites, reportedly killing key scientists and commanders, as reported by The Wall Street Journal.
Iran retaliated with ballistic missile attacks on Israeli cities.
The U.S. entered the conflict on June 20, striking three Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan.
A ceasefire, brokered by Trump and announced on June 23, halted the violence after 12 days, though Trump warned of further U.S. action if Iran resumed uranium enrichment to weapons-grade levels, according to Bloomberg News.
The decree has drawn comparisons to historical precedents, notably the 1989 fatwa against author Salman Rushdie for his novel “The Satanic Verses,” which led to decades of threats, the murder of a Japanese translator, and attacks on publishers. Rushdie survived a 2023 stabbing in New York, losing an eye, per The Associated Press.
International Reactions and Implications
British-Iranian commentator Niyak Ghorbani condemned the fatwa, calling it a state-endorsed incitement to global terrorism. In a post on X, he wrote, “The West must realise: the Islamic Republic is not only targeting its own people — it is preparing for global violence in the name of religion.”
Ghorbani’s statement reflects concerns about Iran’s broader intentions following its nuclear setbacks.
