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By Brendan Cole and Shane Croucher
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An ally of the Iranian Supreme Leader joked that Iran could assassinate President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
"Trump can no longer sunbathe in Mar-a-Lago, because while he's lying down, a micro-drone might target and strike him right in the navel," said Mohammad-Javad Larijani, a regime figure and adviser to Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Larijani laughed as he made the remark on Iranian television, which was broadcast on Wednesday, July 9, as part of a discussion about the country's military technology.
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Why It Matters
Larijani's comments were reported by London-based network Iran International, which noted they follow the appearance of online platform Blood Pact that is raising funds for "retribution against those who mock and threaten the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei."
Larijani's remarks, even if intended as a joke, will add to speculation over possible retaliation by the Islamic Republic against the U.S. for its attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities in June.
What To Know
Iran's drone technology has played a key role in Russia's war on Ukraine, with its Shahed devices devastating the country's infrastructure.
Larijani said a drone might hit Trump in the navel, in what appeared to be a light-hearted remark during a discussion about the merits of Iranian military technology compared with the U.S. He added that "of course, we fight like men" suggesting that Iran would not do something like that.
When contacted for comment, a spokesman for the United States Secret Service (USSS) said it could not comment on specific protective intelligence matters.
"We operate in a heightened and very dynamic threat environment and the safety and security of the President and all of our protectees remains our highest priority," the statement added.
Trump has been a target for assassination threats following his order in 2020 to kill Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) general Qassem Soleimani in Iraq, with U.S. law enforcement accusing the IRGC of organizing a plot to kill Trump.
In January 2022, Khamenei's official website published a video portraying Trump playing golf while a four-wheeled robot and drone seek to target him.
A drone operator and a message in English appear warning that: "Soleimani's murderer and the one who gave the order will pay the price."
Iran's top Shia cleric, Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi, issued a fatwa, or religious edict, against Trump on June 29.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told political commentator and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson this week the fatwa issued by Shirazi had "nothing to do with the Iranian government or the Supreme Leader." However, an op-ed in Iran's hard-line newspaper Kayhan called it a "clear religious ruling in defense of faith."
What People Are Saying
Mohammad-Javad Larijani, advisor to the Supreme Leader, told Iranian TV: "Trump can no longer sunbathe in Mar-a-Lago, because while he's lying down, a micro-drone might target and strike him right in the navel!"
Tehran-based newspaper Kayhan, as per Iran International: "Avenging Trump is nearly a national demand."
USSS spokesperson in a statement: "To preserve operational integrity, we cannot comment on specific protective intelligence matters. However, our teams work around the clock with international, federal, state, and local partners to ensure the highest levels of protection."
What Happens Next
Trump has said that U.S. military strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities have destroyed Tehran's ability to make a bomb but concerns remain over the fate of enriched uranium, which is said to have been moved before the strikes. There will also be speculation over whether Tehran will further respond to the strikes, having launched a missile attack on a U.S. base in Qatar on June 23.
Update 7/9/25, 2:11 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with a USSS statement.
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