Iran warns US of retaliation if Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is targeted: ‘We will set their world on fire’
TEHRAN, IRAN: Iran escalated its rhetoric against the United States, warning that any military action targeting the country’s top leadership, particularly Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, would provoke what officials described as a “devastating retaliation.”
The warning, issued amid heightened tensions with Washington in January, followed recent remarks by President Donald Trump questioning Iran’s leadership and hinting at the possibility of regime change.
Military General, Shekarchi, the Deputy Chief of Armed Forces in Iran, threatens @realDonaldTrump:
— Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) January 20, 2026
“Trump knows that if any hand is extended to harm our Leader, we won't just cut it off, we will set their country on fire and leave them no safe zone anywhere."
But I strongly… pic.twitter.com/gOOk8EWEHl
Iran warns US of retaliation over Khamenei threat
General Abolfazl Shekarchi, spokesperson for the General Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, delivered the warning in comments reported by Press TV. Rejecting Donald Trump’s recent rhetoric, Shekarchi said Iran does not take the US president’s threats lightly but views them as part of an ongoing pressure campaign.
“We do not attach significant importance to Trump’s clamor,” Shekarchi said, dismissing the US president’s statements as psychological warfare rather than serious diplomacy. However, his tone hardened when addressing the possibility of direct action against Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“Trump knows that if a hand of aggression is extended toward our Leader, we will not only sever that hand,” he said, “but we will set their world on fire and leave them no safe haven in the region.”
Trump’s remarks on Ayatollah Ali Khamenei spark backlash in Tehran
The warning followed comments by Donald Trump, who referred to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a “sick man” in a recent interview and suggested that “it’s time to look for new leadership in Iran.” The remarks were swiftly condemned by Iranian officials.
Tehran framed Trump’s statements as an explicit threat to the country’s sovereignty and leadership structure, warning that such language risks pushing the region closer to open conflict.
Iranian leaders have long maintained that any attempt to remove or kill the supreme leader would cross a red line, with consequences extending far beyond bilateral tensions between Tehran and Washington.
Iran parliament warns Khamenei attack means war
Iran’s parliamentary national security commission amplified the warning, declaring that any attack on Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would amount to a “declaration of war with the entire Islamic world.”
The commission said such an act could prompt senior religious authorities to issue a call for “jihad,” or holy war, dramatically expanding the scope of any conflict involving Iran.
The sharp rhetoric came in the aftermath of one of Iran’s deadliest periods of domestic unrest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Mass protests erupted in late December over economic hardship, inflation, and unemployment, before evolving into broader demonstrations against the ruling establishment.
Security forces responded with a sweeping crackdown, and while large-scale protests largely subsided by mid-January, sporadic acts of defiance continued across the country. Iranian officials have repeatedly accused the United States and Israel of fueling the unrest, a claim Washington has denied.
Trump leaves military options unclear amid escalating rhetoric
Despite the growing war of words, Donald Trump signaled uncertainty about next steps in US–Iran relations. Speaking to reporters on January 20, the president declined to clarify whether military options remained on the table, saying only that he was unsure “what lies ahead” with Iran.
