'Enemy of God': Top Iranian cleric issues fatwa against Trump, Netanyahu
Days after US President Donald Trump's announcement of a ceasefire between Iran and Israel, a 'fatwa' has been issued against him and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. File photo - US President Donald Trump welcomes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the entrance of the White House(REUTERS)
The fatwa, a religious ruling in Islam, was issued by Grand Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi, a senior Iranian cleric, in response to a question by a group.
According to Iran's Mehr news agency, Shirazi was asked about Trump and Netanyahu's "threats" against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and what the Muslims' duties are in response to them.
"Any person or regime that threatens the Leader or Marja (May God forbid) is considered an enemy of God," the cleric reportedly said in the fatwa issued by him. In Shia Islam, Marja is a title given to top clerics who make legal decisions in Islamic law.
Shirazi also reminded Muslims and Islamic states that it would be "haram" to stand in support of the enemy. "It is necessary for all Muslims around the world to make these enemies regret their words and mistakes," the fatwa said.
A fatwa is a religious ruling issued by an Islamic scholar in response to a question on how to act in accordance with Islamic teachings. A fatwa is not legally enforceable but holds weight in judicial decisions in countries with Sharia-based legal systems.
The senior Iran cleric's fatwa comes days after Trump claimed he saved Khamenei from "an ugly and ignominious death", and knew exactly where he was sheltered.
During the 12-day Israel-Iran conflict, the Israeli military had been actively searching for Khamenei, with Defense Minister Israel Katz openly threatening to kill him. "I estimate that if Khamenei had been in our sights, we would have taken him out," Katz had reportedly said.
However, the ayatollah disappeared from the public eye once Israeli airstrikes on Iran's nuclear facilities began on June 13 and several top Iranian commanders and scientists were killed.
Days after the conflict began, Netanyahu also hinted at Khamenei's life being in danger, saying he was not ruling out eliminating the Supreme Leader, and that Israel was "doing what we need to do".
The conflict between Israel and Iran ended with a US-brokered ceasefire on June 24.
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