"Make Them Pay": Iranian Cleric Declares Fatwa Against Trump, Netanyahu

Iran (The Uttam Hindu): Iran's senior Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi has issued a powerful religious decree or fatwa against former U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In the decree, both leaders are described as “enemies of God,” urging Muslims worldwide to unite and make them “regret their words and actions.”

The fatwa was issued in response to a recent 12-day conflict that began when Israel launched airstrikes targeting Iran, killing high-ranking military officials and scientists associated with the country’s nuclear program. Iran retaliated with ballistic missile attacks on Israeli cities. The conflict escalated when the U.S. joined Israeli forces in strikes on three of Iran's nuclear facilities, prompting Iran to launch an attack on an American military base in Qatar.

Ayatollah Makarem declared that anyone threatening Iran’s Supreme Leader or religious authorities is to be considered a mohareb— a person waging war against God. Under Iranian law, those identified as mohareb can face extreme punishments including execution, crucifixion, amputation or exile.

The fatwa also warns that any Muslim or Islamic nation that supports such “enemies” is committing a forbidden act (haram). It emphasizes that Muslims must act collectively to challenge these threats, even if it leads to personal sacrifice, promising divine reward for those who uphold this duty.

This decree draws parallels to previous fatwas issued by Iranian clerics, most notably the 1989 ruling against author Salman Rushdie for his book The Satanic Verses, which led to global controversy and multiple assassination attempts against Rushdie, including a 2023 attack in which he lost an eye.

A fatwa, in Islamic tradition, is a binding interpretation of religious law issued by a senior cleric and is intended to be acted upon by individuals and Islamic governments alike.