Edith HejbergThis isn’t the first time Trump has faced threats from Iran.
This isn’t the first time Trump has faced threats from Iran.
A Fatwa with Global Shockwaves
A controversial religious decree issued by hardline Iranian clerics calling for the assassination of the U.S. President Donald Trump has reportedly raised over $40 million online.
The funding campaign follows renewed tensions between the U.S. and Iran, the tensions were reignited after recent military confrontations.
Tensions Escalate After U.S. Strikes
The fatwa gained momentum after Trump ordered airstrikes last month on Iranian nuclear facilities.
The strikes came in response to Israel’s Operation Rising Lion, a campaign aimed at dismantling Iran’s nuclear weapons program.
Echoes of 2020: Soleimani’s Assassination Still
This isn’t the first time Trump has faced threats from Iran. In 2020, he authorized the killing of Qassem Soleimani, a revered Iranian general, an act that has continued to stoke anger among Iran’s political and religious leadership.
“Enemy of God”: The Rhetoric Intensifies
Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi declared in a recent fatwa that anyone who threatens Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is an “enemy of God.”
The statement has been widely interpreted as a direct incitement against Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Online Fundraising Raises Eyebrows
According to Iran International, a London-based outlet, an Iranian website named thaar.ir is spearheading a crowdfunding campaign to support the fatwa.
The site claims to have collected over $40 million in donations. This amount has not independently been verified.
Promises of Payout for Assassination
Clerics backing the campaign are offering cash rewards for action.
Mansour Emami from Iran’s West Azerbaijan Province reportedly pledged 100 billion tomans ($1.14 million) to anyone who kills Trump.
Other prominent figures have echoed similar calls.
Comparing to the Rushdie Fatwa
Analysts have likened this decree to the infamous 1989 fatwa issued against author Salman Rushdie. While not legally binding, such religious edicts can wield influence in Sharia-based jurisdictions and have led to real-world violence in the past.
Ideological Divide in Iran
Iranian expert Hamidreza Azizi told Newsweek that these clerics are part of an ultra-hardline faction seeking to derail any diplomatic engagement with the West. “Even Khamenei is considered too soft by this group,” Azizi explained.
Clerics Seek to Shift Power Dynamics
Azizi added that these hardliners, emboldened over the years by concessions from Khamenei, now aim to consolidate their power ahead of a possible leadership transition.
The fatwa, he said, serves both ideological and political purposes.
A Website Pledging “Justice”
Thaar.ir describes its campaign as an effort to fight “U.S. state terrorism,” vowing that the funds will go to those “who carry out the sentence of justice.”
At least ten clerics reportedly support the initiative.
Trump Responds with Humor
When asked about the threats during a Fox News interview, Trump responded with his characteristic bravado.
Referring to a quip made by an Iranian official about a drone strike, Trump said, “I guess it’s a threat. I’m not sure it’s a threat actually, but perhaps it is.”
Secret Service on High Alert
In response, the U.S. Secret Service stated it is operating in a “heightened and very dynamic threat environment,” emphasizing its commitment to protecting all individuals under its jurisdiction.
Tehran’s Military Moves Add to the Tensions
Following the fatwa and U.S. strikes, Iran launched a missile attack on an American base in Qatar on June 23.
Speculation continues about further retaliation, particularly concerning Iran’s potentially relocated nuclear stockpile.
Satirical or Sinister? Mixed Signals from Iran
Former Iranian official Mohammad-Javad Larijani appeared to joke on state TV that Trump “can no longer sunbathe in Mar-a-Lago,” hinting at the reach of Iran’s drones.
While delivered with levity, the remark underscores a chilling undertone.
Uncertainty Over What Comes Next
As U.S.-Iran relations teeter on a knife-edge, the fatwa and its crowdfunding success point to a larger internal struggle within Iran’s power structure, one that could have dangerous implications for regional and global stability.
