Senior Shiite Jurists Issue Death Fatwas Against U.S. and Israeli Leaders

Executive Summary

July 5 , 2025

In June 2025, three senior Shiite clerics—Grand Ayatollahs Nasser Makarem Shirazi (Iranian), Hussein Nouri Hamedani (Iranian), and Ali Akbar Hosseini Haeri (Iraqi)—issued coordinated fatwas in response to threats by U.S. and Israeli leaders, particularly former President Donald Trump, against Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. These rulings classify such threats as moharebeh—waging war against God—and impose a binding religious obligation on Muslims worldwide to resist them.

Grand Ayatollah Shirazi’s fatwa centers on Islamic jurisprudence, declaring that any harm to the Supreme Leader or the Shiite marjaʿiyyah constitutes a war on Islam, and forbids cooperation with the perpetrators. Hamedani’s ruling, issued in response to a petition from the Revolutionary Preachers Association, draws on past historical fatwas as instruments of deterrence and religious mobilization. Grand Ayatollah Haeri—an Iraqi based in Najaf but closely aligned with Tehran—goes further, using explicitly militaristic language and warning of “crushing” retaliation by the global Islamic nation. He frames any assault on Khamenei as an attack on the religious-political sanctity of all Muslims.

The rulings transform political rhetoric into a theological emergency and are part of Iran's overall strategy in the face of foreign threats. The designation of Trump and Israeli leaders as moharebs subjects them, under Islamic law, to the harshest penalties—including death—and positions them as enemies not just of Iran but of God.

These fatwas serve both external and internal functions: to deter Western action and to consolidate the religious legitimacy of Iran’s leadership by portraying external threats as spiritual warfare.

By contrast, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani—an Iraqi cleric of Iranian origin and the most senior marjaʿ of the Shiite world—offers a sharply different stance. Rooted in the quietist school of Shiism, Sistani avoids political entanglement and instead calls for restraint, legal resolution, and regional stability. His cautious and non-confrontational response highlights a fundamental divide within the Shiite clerical establishment: between the activist, Iran-aligned clerics who mobilize religion for political warfare, and quietist figures like Sistani who prioritize spiritual authority and social order.

Fatwa of Grand Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi

Shirazi and Khamenei

Title: Response to a Religious Inquiry Regarding Threats by the U.S. and Zionist Regime Against the Supreme Leader and the Shiite Marjaʿiyyah

Inquiry: "In recent days, we have witnessed repeated threats of assassination by the U.S. President and leaders of the Zionist regime against the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution and several Shiite scholars and marajiʿ. What is the religious ruling regarding such threats, and what should Muslims do if such acts are carried out?"

(Shirazi's) Response: "Any person or regime that threatens or harms the Islamic Ummah, its governance, its leadership, or its marjaʿiyyah is considered a moharib (one who wages war against God).

Supporting or cooperating with such perpetrators is forbidden (haram).

If believers suffer in this cause, they will be rewarded as mujahidin fi sabil Allah (fighters in the path of God).

May God protect the Islamic community from its enemies and hasten the reappearance of the Mahdi."

08 Tir 1404 (June 28, 2025)

Fatwa of Grand Ayatollah Hussein Nouri Hamedani

Hamedani's Fatwa

Title: Response to the Revolutionary Preachers Association Requesting a Fatwa Against the U.S. and Israel

Summary of Appeal: The Revolutionary Preachers Association submitted a formal petition urging Ayatollah Hamedani to issue a historic fatwa. Their reasoning included:

• The U.S. assassination threats signify a severe miscalculation of the religious leadership's mobilization power.

• American and Zionist threats target the irreplaceable pillar of the Islamic world.

• Only a fatwa with heavy deterrent consequences can correct the enemies' miscalculations.

• Past fatwas, such as the Mirza Shirazi tobacco boycott and Imam Khomeini's ruling on Salman Rushdie, demonstrate the effectiveness of religious decrees.

  
  

Ayatollah Hamedani's Ruling: "Any insult to the Shiite marjaʿiyyah and Ayatollah Khamenei is an insult to Islam.

In today’s conditions, when all the enemies of Islam and the Ahl al-Bayt have united, support for the Supreme Leader is obligatory.

Any threat or attack by any person or government makes the perpetrator a mohareb (enemy of God), and anyone assisting them shares this ruling.

May God make the reappearance of the Awaited Imam (Baqiyyatullah al-A'zam) near."

Date: June 29, 2025

Fatwa of Grand Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hosseini Haeri

Haeri: "Any attack on the Leader of Iran is an attack on the Islamic Ummah."

In addition to Shirazi and Hamdani, Grand Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hosseini Haeri also issued a similar but more blunt fatwa. While Shirazi issued a traditional religious fatwa labeling U.S. and Israeli leaders as "enemies of God" (mohareb), Haeri's fatwa is more explicitly militaristic and political, using direct warfare language and promising "crushing" retaliation from the "entire Islamic nation." Haeri's Fatwa reads :

In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful

"And whoever takes Allah and His Messenger and those who believe as guardians, then surely the party of Allah are they that shall be triumphant" (Quran 5:56)

In light of the recent intensification of American attacks against the Islamic Republic of Iran, we strongly condemn the barbaric aggressions of this cursed regime against the sacred soil of Iran and declare that these aggressions, which are a clear violation of international and divine laws, are not only an insult to the dignity of Muslim nations but a declaration of war against Islamic and human values.

Regarding the explicit threats directed at the leadership of the Islamic Republic, we clearly declare that any assault against him is an assault against the entire Islamic nation, because he is not only responsible for the political leadership of a state, but religiously holds the religious authority of the Islamic nation and is the symbol of resistance and Islamic unity, and the guide of the jihadist path against global tyranny and arrogance.

Therefore, we warn the United States and the Zionist regime that the consequences of continuing this aggressive and unwise path will be very severe. Because the Islamic nation will never allow any assault on its religious and political sanctity, and whoever in any position or rank wishes to harm the position of the Guardian Jurist (Wali al-Faqih), the response of the Islamic nation to them will be crushing and regret-inducing.

We, from a position of responsibility, ask each child of the Islamic nation and all free people of the world to declare their position with honesty and transparency and to dedicate all their efforts to achieving the lofty ideals of the Islamic Republic that have been undertaken under the leadership of Imam Khamenei (may his support endure).

We also declare our decisive and complete support for the Islamic Republic of Iran, its jihadist nation, and its wise leadership. We will stand with all our strength against anyone who intends to assault them. We believe that the enemy's efforts to disrupt the security and stability of the region are doomed to failure, just as previous conspiracies have proven to be.

The Almighty God says: "Indeed, We will surely support Our messengers and those who believe in the life of this world and on the Day when the witnesses will stand"

And Allah is great, death to the enemies of religion, and eternal curse upon the arrogant and oppressors.

Office of His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Sayed Ali Akbar Hosseini Haeri 27 Dhu al-Hijjah 1446 AH, corresponding to 2 Tir 1404 SH June 22, 2025

Quietist vs. Activist Shia: The Fatwa Divide Over Trump Threats

Al-Sistani: quietest approach

Unlike Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Husayni al-Sistani, undoubtedly the most senior religious authority, who maintains independence from Iranian politics and has even called for reduced Iranian influence in Iraq, Haeri represents the opposite pole - he is openly aligned with Iran's Islamic Republic. He serves as Tehran's religious voice in Najaf.

His seniority becomes particularly significant in the context of the recent fatwas calling for action against President Trump and Israeli leaders. While junior clerics like Haeri, Hamdani, and Shirazi have issued inflammatory religious rulings, essentially calling for assassination attempts, Sistani's response reveals the deep divisions within the Shia religious establishment - divisions that reflect fundamental theological differences between quietist and activist approaches to Twelver Shia Islam.

Sistani represents the traditional quietist school of Twelver Shia thought, which emphasizes that religious authorities should avoid direct political involvement and await the return of the Hidden Imam (the Mahdi). This quietist approach advocates for spiritual guidance while maintaining distance from day-to-day political affairs and avoiding confrontational rhetoric that could destabilize societies.

Haeri's relationship with Iran is one of complete alignment and advocacy. Haeri functions essentially as Iran's proxy cleric in Najaf, using his religious authority to legitimize Iranian foreign policy objectives and issuing fatwas that directly support Tehran's confrontational stance against the West. This makes him particularly valuable to Iran as he provides religious legitimacy from the sacred city of Najaf while advancing Iranian geopolitical interests.

Haeri ranks significantly below Sistani, who has been the supreme Marja in Najaf since 1993 and commands far greater religious authority and global following. However, Haeri's importance lies not in his hierarchical position but in his political function - he represents Iran's attempt to project religious authority from Najaf to counter Sistani's more independent stance. This positioning makes Haeri's recent fatwa particularly dangerous, as it weaponizes Najaf's religious prestige for Iran's strategy against the United States and Israel.

Naqdi Warns: "No American Will Leave the Region Alive If Shia Leaders Are Targeted"

 Naqdi warns

The gravity of these fatwas was reinforced by a military declaration from Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naqdi,  IRGC deputy commander for coordination. Responding directly to Trump’s threats, Naqdi (June 28) issued a stark warning:

“Because of his (Trump's ) stupidity, Trump failed to understand the true meaning of the message from Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Sistani. So I will convey a precise interpretation of that message directly to him:

“Donald, listen...If there is even the slightest aggression against any of the Shiite sources of emulations—successful or not—not a single American operative will leave this region alive. All American diplomats, military personnel, and employees in the region will either be killed or taken captive...Even repeating such foolish threats, even if not carried out, will not go unanswered.

This blunt statement by the IRGC underscores the militant interpretation of the clerical fatwas. It represents a fusion of theological judgment with military threat, amplifying the seriousness with which the Iranian leadership treats these perceived acts of blasphemy and hostility.

In contrast to Qom's escalatory rhetoric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, based in Najaf, adopted a more cautious and legalistic stance, conveyed via Iranian state broadcaster IRIB: "Such a criminal act… portends dire consequences for the entire region, potentially spiraling completely out of control and leading to widespread chaos that would exacerbate the suffering of its people and harm everyone's interests to the greatest possible extent."

Sistani urged restraint and diplomatic solutions: "Muslim-majority countries and the international community must stop this unjust war and find a just and peaceful solution under international law."

This theological divide explains the dramatically different responses to the Trump-Iran crisis. The quietist tradition, represented by Sistani, advocates for diplomatic solutions and cautions against chaos, while the Iranian activist tradition leverages religious authority to justify confrontational actions and global mobilization. This fundamental split within Twelver Shia Islam has profound implications for how religious authority is wielded in contemporary geopolitics, with Iran's activist clerics weaponizing religious legitimacy for state objectives while traditional quietist authorities like Sistani maintain more restrained, stability-focused approaches.

The fatwas together elevate Western threats against Ayatollah Khamenei and the Shiite clerical hierarchy to the level of a theological emergency. They signal a unified clerical stance that views such threats as existential for Shii Islam and call on the global Muslim community to treat them accordingly, with spiritual, political, and even martial resistance.

The explicit designation of perpetrators and their supporters as moharebs underlines the seriousness with which the Shiite religious establishment views these threats. These fatwas specifically target U.S. leaders (Trump) and Israeli leaders (Netanyahu) as those who have led the campaign against Iran and its nuclear program. Trump's threats against Khamenei have been exceptionally provocative, with the U.S. President calling Iran's Supreme Leader an "easy target" and stating, "We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding... We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now."

In Islamic law, being declared a mohareb not only strips an individual or entity of religious legitimacy but also exposes them to the harshest legal consequences: death. By naming Trump and Netanyahu as the primary architects of anti-Iranian policies, combined with Trump's explicit threats to assassinate Khamenei, these religious rulings transform what could be seen as legitimate statecraft into acts of war against Islam itself.

These rulings aim not only to bolster religious authority but also to deter future threats through the combined weight of religious, legal, and ideological considerations. Domestically, these fatwas serve a crucial internal function - they are designed to strengthen the Iranian regime's control from within by consolidating its religious legitimacy in the eyes of Iranian citizens, rallying the population around the clerical leadership by framing external threats as attacks on Islam itself rather than merely political opposition to the regime.