Iranian Clerics Call for Assassination of Trump and Netanyahu, Assembly Distances Itself

Dozens of senior Iranian clerics affiliated with Iran's Assembly of Experts signed a statement declaring that assassinating U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a religious duty, claiming it would avenge Iran's Supreme Leader. The Assembly's secretariat later said the statement does not represent the body's official position.

Senior Clerics Issue Incendiary Statement

According to Iranian media, 63 of the 88 senior Islamic scholars serving in Iran's Assembly of Experts signed a statement declaring that killing U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a religious obligation.

The statement claimed the call was made in the name of avenging Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and urged anyone who could reach the two leaders to carry out the act. The clerics reportedly described both leaders as individuals deserving of execution under their interpretation of Islamic law.

Assembly Rejects the Statement as Official Policy

Although many members signed the declaration, the Secretariat of the Assembly of Experts later said the document does not represent the institution's official position.

The Assembly of Experts is one of Iran's most influential constitutional bodies. It is responsible for selecting, supervising, and, if necessary, removing the country's Supreme Leader. Its members are senior Shiite clerics known for their conservative views.

Statement Released During Diplomatic Outreach

The declaration was released on the same day Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian visited the religious city of Qom in an effort to build support for negotiations with the United States.

The statement is likely to further inflame tensions between Iran, the United States, and Israel as regional security concerns remain high.