An Iranian state newspaper has triggered a political storm at home and drawn international scrutiny after publishing what was widely seen as a death threat against former US President Donald Trump.
The hardline Kayhan newspaper, long regarded as the mouthpiece of Iran’s most conservative factions, published a column on Saturday that appeared to call for Trump’s assassination in revenge for the 2020 killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.
The editorial, published under the daily’s ‘Dialogue’ section, described Trump as someone who “threatens several countries every day” and warned that “any day now… several bullets will be fired into Trump’s empty head.”
It also referenced Trump’s role in ordering the drone strike which killed Soleimani, then head of the elite Quds Force, near Baghdad airport.
It declared that the former president’s death would bring joy to “all righteous people”, including “the oppressed of Gaza” and “the resistance forces”.
The editorial was repeated and even sharpened the following day, with Kayhan accusing its domestic critics of cowardice and capitulation to US pressure.
“Before a single shot has been fired, America’s local servants have already started trembling and lashing out at Kayhan,” the paper wrote in its Sunday edition.
The outlet sparked an immediate backlash inside Iran, including from reformist politicians, journalists, and even elements of the government.
Many expressed concern that the editorial could hand Trump and his allies a propaganda weapon – and a pretext for military escalation against Iran.
“This reckless language is like giving Trump a free pass to act against Iran,” one reformist commentator wrote in the daily Shargh. “It is not resistance – it is self-sabotage.”
Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani condemned the remarks, stating that such rhetoric was “not only contradicts the principles of the Islamic Republic but also hands the enemy justification on a silver platter”.
She emphasised that Iran’s position on the Soleimani case should focus on international legal proceedings, not vigilante justice.
“We support justice through legitimate international means, not threats that harm our credibility,” Mohajerani added in a post on social media. “The pen should defend national interests, not endanger them.”
In an unprecedented move, Iran’s Press Supervisory Board issued a formal warning to Kayhan, citing Article 6 of the national press law, which prohibits publications that threaten national security or undermine the state’s interests.
In a statement, the culture ministry said: “The Islamic Republic’s stance is clear: Soleimani’s case must be pursued legally. Publishing threats damages the country’s standing and gives our enemies ammunition.”
Meanwhile, Iranian military officials continued to project defiance. Major General Hossein Salami, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said Iran was “not concerned about war” and was “fully ready” for any confrontation, though he insisted Tehran would not initiate conflict.
Tensions between Iran and the US have been escalating for weeks. Trump has recently renewed his threats of airstrikes and sanctions if Iran does not agree to curbs on its nuclear programme.
The US has also deployed additional military assets to the region, including a second THAAD missile defence system to Israel and B-2 stealth bombers to the Diego Garcia airbase in the Indian Ocean.
Flight tracking data over the weekend showed a massive US Air Force C-5M Super Galaxy aircraft landing at Nevatim Airbase in southern Israel, fueling speculation of further American military buildup.
