Iran's Supreme Leader Issues Fatwa Targeting Trump and Netanyahu

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has issued a rare and provocative religious fatwa (edict) targeting former U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling for their "divine punishment." The decree, rooted in Shiite Islamic jurisprudence, represents a symbolic escalation in Iran's ideological opposition to both leaders—Trump for ordering the 2020 assassination of top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, and Netanyahu for Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza. While fatwas lack legal enforcement power outside Iran, the move amplifies Tehran’s anti-Western rhetoric and could galvanize hardline factions across the Middle East. The announcement comes amid already soaring tensions in the region, with Iran-backed groups clashing with U.S. and Israeli forces. Analysts view the edict as largely performative but warn it may incite retaliatory rhetoric or actions from extremist sympathizers. Both the U.S. and Israel are expected to dismiss the fatwa as political theater, though it underscores Iran’s entrenched hostility toward its adversaries. The development further complicates diplomatic efforts to de-escalate conflicts in the region, as Khamenei frames geopolitical struggles through a religious lens.