Qom, Iran – Grand Ayatollah Hossein Nouri Hamedani, one of the most senior Shiite religious authorities, has issued a powerful response to recent threats made by the President of the United States against the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. In a statement released on June 27, the Grand Ayatollah declared that any threat or attack against Ayatollah Khamenei constitutes a direct act of war against Islam and the entire Muslim world.
The remarks came in response to a formal request from the Revolutionary Preachers’ Association of Iran, calling for the issuance of a historic fatwa targeting the “existence and all interests” of the United States and the Zionist regime, following what they described as “a calculated and arrogant threat” to assassinate the Supreme Leader.
“Any attack or threat to Ayatollah Khamenei by an individual or a government is tantamount to an act of war,” said Ayatollah Nouri Hamedani. “Supporting the Leader is an obligation upon the entire Islamic Ummah, and any attempt to weaken him during this critical time is strictly forbidden.”
In his statement, the Grand Ayatollah warned that such threats are not merely political but strike at the heart of Islamic authority and unity:
“Insulting the position of Shiite authority and the person of Ayatollah Khamenei is an insult to the core principles of Islam. Today, he leads the Islamic Ummah with strength and courage, and his defense is a religious duty for all believers.”
The request submitted to the Grand Ayatollah emphasized the historical significance of past fatwas—such as the late Ayatollah Mirza Shirazi’s tobacco boycott and Imam Khomeini’s ruling against Salman Rushdie—as examples of how religious decrees have historically deterred enemies of Islam.
It also stated that the U.S. threat to assassinate Ayatollah Khamenei reflects a dangerous miscalculation of the role of Shiite religious leadership and underestimates the potential response from the global Islamic community. The group urged the issuance of a new fatwa to raise the cost of such threats and restore strategic deterrence.
Ayatollah Hamedani’s response reiterated that any government or individual who plays a role in such aggression is to be considered an enemy of Islam and falls under the same ruling as those who directly commit the crime.
“All enemies of Islam, the Quran, and the Ahl al-Bayt have now aligned themselves. Anyone aiding them in targeting the Shiite authority shares the same guilt and will be judged accordingly,” he added.
The Grand Ayatollah concluded his statement with a prayer for divine support.
