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In a chilling televised address, senior Iranian official Javad Larijani warned that US President Donald Trump could be assassinated while relaxing at his Florida estate.
“Trump has done something that he can no longer sunbathe in Mar-a-Lago,” Larijani said on Iranian state television, according to a report by London-based Iran International. “As he lies there with his stomach to the sun, a small drone might hit him in the navel. It’s very simple.”
Larijani, a close advisor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, underscoring the high-level nature of the threat.
Ongoing tensions
The assassination threats mark a new phase in the long-simmering US-Iran conflict, fueled by the 2020 killing of Qassem Soleimani.
Cleric declares Trump a 'Muharib'
Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi, a top figure in Shia Islamic jurisprudence, issued a statement previously that has been widely interpreted as a fatwa—a religious edict—against Trump.
“Any regime or individual threatening the leaders of the Islamic Ummah and acting on those threats qualifies as a Muharib,” he wrote, according to the Tehran Times. Under Shia Islamic law, a Muharib is someone who spreads terror or disorder—punishable by death.
The declaration came in direct response to Trump's verbal attacks on Ayatollah Khamenei, following a deadly 12-day conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States earlier this year.
Trump: “I saved Khamenei”
During a speech in June, Trump made the stunning claim that during the conflict, he had the opportunity to assassinate Supreme Leader Khamenei—but chose not to.
“I saved him from a very ugly and ignominious death,” Trump said, adding, “I knew exactly where he was hiding. I told the Israelis to stand down.”
Trump has repeatedly taken credit for authorising strikes that allegedly “obliterated” Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz—though intelligence assessments suggest these attacks caused only temporary disruptions.
Hardline Iranian media calls for Trump’s death
On April 5, 2025, Kayhan, a newspaper closely aligned with Iran’s Supreme Leader, published a column openly advocating for Trump's assassination.
“He’s way out of line! Any day now, in revenge for the blood of Martyr Soleimani, a few bullets are going to be fired into that empty skull of his and he’ll be drinking from the chalice of a cursed death,” the editorial read, according to a Fox News translation.
The threat followed Trump’s warning to Iran that “if they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing,” and his proposal to reintroduce secondary tariffs.
DOJ uncovers IRGC plot to kill Trump
In November 2024, the US Department of Justice revealed that Iranian agent Farhad Shakeri was charged with plotting to assassinate then President-elect Donald Trump. According to DOJ filings, Shakeri was acting on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Two alleged co-conspirators, Eric Loadholt and James Rivera, were also arrested. The trio allegedly worked on US soil to locate and target Iranian dissidents and high-profile Americans.
The DOJ disclosed that on October 7, 2024, Shakeri received direct orders from the IRGC to “devise a plan targeting President-elect Donald Trump.” He later claimed to federal agents that he had no intention of completing the plan within the IRGC’s timeline.
Two attempted assassinations in 2024
The US Secret Service has already thwarted two assassination attempts on Trump in less than a year:
On July 14, 2024, Trump was shot at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, suffering a minor injury to his ear. The assailant was killed by Secret Service agents after firing multiple rounds.
On September 16, 2024, Trump was the target again, this time while playing golf in Florida. Agents noticed a gunman with an AK-47-style rifle and opened fire. The suspect escaped briefly but was later apprehended. According to Martin County Sheriff William Snyder, the man showed “no emotion” when stopped by officers.
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