Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, a prominent Iranian religious leader, has issued a shocking demand for the execution of President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a Friday sermon in Tehran.

According to Breitbart, the cleric accused both leaders of "murdering" tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza and also cited the 2020 killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, who was eliminated in a U.S. airstrike ordered by President Trump.

The inflammatory sermon was met with enthusiastic chants from the crowd, who joined in shouting "Death to America," "Death to England," and "Death to Israel" as Khatami delivered his threatening remarks against the American and Israeli leaders.

Religious Justification For Violent Threats

Khatami specifically declared that Trump and Netanyahu were guilty of capital offenses under Islamic law, including "sowing corruption in the land" and "fighting Allah and his messenger." The serious religious charges were used to justify his call for their execution.

"You are murderers, you need to be punished," Khatami proclaimed during his sermon, directly addressing Trump and Netanyahu. "The ruling regarding Trump and Netanyahu, according to sharia, is that the pair of them should be executed," he stated in unambiguous terms.

This latest threat follows a series of religious edicts issued last week by senior Shiite clerics in Iran who condemned both leaders through formal fatwas. These religious proclamations labeled Trump and Netanyahu as "moharebs," or warlords who fight against Allah, essentially the same charge Khatami emphasized in his execution demand.

Long History Of Iranian Threats

The Iranian regime has maintained a consistent stance regarding retaliation for Soleimani's death since the general was killed in January 2020, repeatedly vowing revenge at "a time and place of its own choosing."

Iranian state television had previously attempted to place an $80 million bounty on President Trump's head during Soleimani's funeral procession. The regime even tried to crowdsource the blood money by encouraging 80 million Muslims to contribute one dollar each toward the bounty.

In a further escalation, an Iranian court ruled in December 2023 that Trump, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the CIA, the Pentagon, and various U.S. government entities and defense contractors should pay Iran $50 billion as compensation for Soleimani's death and to "deter future violations."

Recent Military Actions Intensify Tensions

President Trump's bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities during Israel's Operation Rising Lion has added new fuel to the already volatile situation between the countries. The 12-day Israeli operation targeted Iran's illegal nuclear weapons program.

Khatami and other Iranian religious leaders appeared particularly incensed by Netanyahu's declaration that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was a legitimate military target during the operation. They also expressed outrage over Trump's comments suggesting Khamenei should show gratitude for persuading the Israelis not to target him.

Iranian dissidents have condemned these religious edicts as dangerous incitement that could potentially trigger terrorist attacks against the United States and Israel. The regime's continued threats remain a significant concern for international security experts.

Regional Implications And Future Concerns

The Iranian regime has commanded its citizens to regard Soleimani as a religious "martyr" following his death, though many Iranians reportedly refuse to show the mandatory respect to the slain Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps general.

The latest round of threats comes amid already heightened tensions in the Middle East, with ongoing conflicts in Gaza and continuing disagreements over Iran's nuclear program. The religious nature of these threats adds a particularly dangerous dimension to the international situation.

These developments could complicate diplomatic efforts in the region and potentially impact President Trump's foreign policy approach toward Iran during his current term. The administration has not yet issued an official response to these latest threats from the Iranian cleric.