President Donald Trump has reiterated a warning that Iran would face total destruction if it ever succeeded in assassinating him, amid escalating rhetoric between Washington and Tehran. Speaking in an interview with News Nation that aired on Tuesday, Trump said he had issued “very firm instructions,” adding that Iran would be “wiped off the face of this earth” if anything happened to him, in response to reported threats against his life.
The remarks followed a fresh exchange of threats between officials of both countries, with each side warning of large-scale conflict should their leaders be targeted. Earlier on Tuesday, Iranian General Abolfazl Shekarchi, responding to questions about potential threats to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Tehran would not exercise restraint if its leadership were attacked. Quoted by Iranian state media, Shekarchi warned that Iran would retaliate decisively, vowing to “set their world on fire” and leave no safe haven in the region.
Trump had issued similar threats toward Iran about a year ago, shortly after returning to the White House, when he told reporters that any assassination attempt would lead to Iran being “obliterated.” The renewed tensions come as Iran continues to grapple with the aftermath of widespread anti-government protests, described as among the largest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Human rights groups are still verifying casualty figures, with the Human Rights Activists News Agency reporting more than 4,000 confirmed deaths linked to the unrest.