Iranian state television has broadcast an ominous and direct threat aimed at former US President Donald Trump, escalating the war of words between Tehran and Washington. The footage, aired on Thursday, 15 January 2026, showed a mourner at a mass funeral holding a sign featuring an image of Trump from the 2024 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania.
A Chilling Message from Tehran
The sign, displayed prominently at a ceremony outside Tehran University for security forces killed in recent anti-regime protests, carried a stark warning in Farsi. Translated, it read: “This time it won’t miss.” The image used was of a bleeding Trump moments after he narrowly survived the shooting at a campaign rally.
The event, organised by allies of the Iranian regime and reported on by the AFP news agency, was a show of force. Military personnel stood beside coffins on floats paraded through the city, as mourners waved flags and pictures of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. Other banners on display carried messages like “Death to America” and “Down with U.S.A.” in both English and Farsi.
Context of Unrest and Conflicting Claims
The broadcast comes amid more than two weeks of widespread unrest in Iran. Rights groups outside the country report a significant death toll. The US-based HRANA organisation stated on Wednesday that more than 2,600 protesters have been killed, including 13 children. They also reported that Iran has broadcast over 100 forced confessions.
In contrast, Iranian authorities claim that more than 150 security and government forces have died, framing the violence as the work of rioters provoked by the US and Israel. The semiofficial Tasnim news agency, linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard, indicated the funeral was the first of many planned for slain security personnel.
Information flow has been severely restricted, with Iran blocking internet access since 8 January, when protests were believed to have peaked. Some restrictions were eased on Tuesday, allowing calls abroad, but external communication remains limited.
White House Response and Trump's Comments
The White House has not ruled out future military action but held off after Iran insisted it would not execute protesters. Speaking from the White House, Donald Trump claimed he had been informed that killings in the Iranian government's crackdown were subsiding.
When pressed on the source of this information, Trump referred only to “very important sources on the other side.” He suggested the Tehran regime could potentially fall due to the protests, remarking that “any regime can fail.” He concluded, “Whether or not it falls or not, it's going to be an interesting period of time.”
As tensions remain high, the symbolic threat broadcast on state television underscores the deepening diplomatic crisis and the potent use of propaganda in the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States.
