Tehran: Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi, one of the leading Iranian Shia clerics, has issued a fatwa that President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are enemies of God and has made the case that all Muslims should take action against the two on the basis that they threatened the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
On June 29, 2025, Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi issued the fatwa, capping a 12-day crisis that began with Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear plants on June 12. Iran responded by launching missiles and drone-related attacks on Israel. On the 11th, U.S. troops bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities, which severely deterred its programme. Name-calling continued after a ceasefire mediated by Qatar went into effect on June 25.
Grand Ayatollah Nouri Hamedani also appointed a fatwa, and he declared that whoever or whatever regime poses a threat to Khamenei is an enemy of God. According to the decree issued by Shirazi, Trump and Netanyahu would be considered muharib (enemies of God), a category in Shia Islamic law that would automatically result in harsh punishment, and cooperation with the two men has been made haram (forbidden).
The fatwas are reactions to the statements by Trump that he did not kill Khamenei, despite his being aware of his position during the conflict and the allusion by Netanyahu to killing Iranian leadership. In a bunker, Khamenei celebrated the victory over Israel and threatened the U.S. military bases in the Middle East with dire consequences should the U.S. or Israel attack it again.
Trump responded that Khamenei was ungrateful and threatened him with even more strikes in case Iran plans to seek nuclear weapons. Trump raised tensions again by saying on Truth Social, We know where he lives.” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi asked Trump to use a respectful tone with Khamenei.
The comparison of this edict to the 1989 edict against Salman Rushdie raised concerns about the potential for violence associated with the fatwas. Iran expert Khosro Isfahani warned that the tens of millions of adherents to Shirazi can interpret the decree as an order and could become extremist in their responses.
The fragile truce and the unresolved nuclear desires of Iran have become echoed in the burst of rhetoric, and both sides have indicated readiness to advance impulsively with force.