Iran’s De Facto Wartime Leader Issues Chilling Threat to Trump: ‘Be Careful’

(Photo by: Kay Nietfeld/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images)

Iranian national security chief, Ali Larijani, issued a chilling threat to President Donald Trump after the president vowed retaliation if Tehran continues to block the Strait of Hormuz.

The message came after Trump took to Truth Social on Monday night, warning that Iran should expect “death, fire, and fury” if the strategic shipping lane remains closed, a move that has rattled global markets and heightened tensions in the Persian Gulf.

Speaking to Fox News, Trump also expressed his disapproval of Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, saying the cleric would not be able to “live in peace.” The president added he was “not happy with the appointment” and insisted the U.S. should ultimately have the final say over Iran’s leadership.

Larijani, who has been described as Iran’s de facto wartime leader following the killing of much of the country’s top brass, responded defiantly on X to Trump’s remarks, which he screengrabbed, telling the president: “The Iranian people is not afraid of your threats… Be careful or you will be the one who is eliminated.

The grim rhetoric comes just days after a court conviction tied to a plot against Trump during the 2024 presidential campaign.

Asif Merchant, a Pakistani national allegedly trained by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was found guilty on Saturday over a conspiracy to assassinate Trump.

U.S. national security officials had previously warned the Trump campaign that Iran was actively targeting him and that multiple suspected operatives were believed to be operating inside the United States.

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