Iran's most senior clerics have issued a public order calling for the assassination of US President Donald Trump, describing it as a religious duty for Muslims. The Assembly of Experts, an 88-member body constitutionally tasked with choosing and overseeing the supreme leader, released a 10-point statement urging 'duty bound' followers to kill the 'criminal American president' and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom they called 'the wicked prime minister of the Zionist regime.'
Religious Edict and Revenge
The statement, reported by The Telegraph, said the assassinations must 'not be neglected under any circumstances' and are intended to avenge the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed on the first day of the war between US-Israeli forces and Iran in February 2026. The clerics declared it 'obligatory upon any duty-bound person who gains access to these criminals to send them to hell,' but stopped short of issuing a formal fatwa, which is typically issued by individual clerics rather than a group.
Ceasefire in Jeopardy
The order comes amid a fragile ceasefire. Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the conflict, which included a 60-day period for negotiations on a truce and issues such as Iran's nuclear programme. However, strikes on the Strait of Hormuz and Israel's military operations in Lebanon have already put the tentative ceasefire in jeopardy. US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Doha, Qatar, for talks with mediators alongside Iranian negotiators.
Strait of Hormuz Tensions
As part of an interim deal, Iran and the US agreed to allow ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without charges for 60 days. However, Tehran insisted it must control vessel routes and later charge fees, upending decades of practice. The US and Gulf Arab states rejected the fees, and an effort by Oman and a UN agency to launch a new route near Oman's shore sparked attacks across the Middle East. Iranian state television reported that a foreign container ship ran aground in the Strait, and the Revolutionary Guard's navy warned that any entry or exit through routes other than the 'Route of Authority' could lead to 'irreparable incidents.'
