A senior Iranian regime ideologue publicly declared that the United States’ president should be treated the same way Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro was during the recent U.S. military operation, even suggesting violent actions inside the United States could be justified. The remarks signal a further escalation in hostile rhetoric from Tehran as tensions with Washington rise.
During a broadcast on Iranian state media, Hassan Rahimpour Azghadi—a hardline member of Iran’s Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution—attacked President Donald Trump with extremely inflammatory language. He referred to Trump in dehumanizing terms and said the Iranian leadership should “do to Trump something similar to what they did to Maduro,” implying that the U.S. president should be seized or otherwise made to “pay the price” for his policies.
Azghadi went further, arguing that given the actions of the United States, “any kind of operation” could be carried out on U.S. soil in every state and city. He described acts such as arson attacks, shootings, and vehicle assaults in U.S. cities as permissible responses under both international and religious doctrine according to his interpretation. He framed these suggestions as justified retaliation for U.S. global actions and described Trump as an unworthy target deserving severe consequences.
The highly provocative statements come as Iran grapples with widespread internal unrest and anti‑government protests against economic collapse, political repression, and rising living costs. Tehran has responded with internet blackouts and heavy force against demonstrators, even as its leaders escalate threats against critics both domestic and foreign. The intensified rhetoric from figures like Azghadi also reflects broader tensions between the Iranian regime and the United States, where leadership statements increasingly blend internal propaganda with foreign policy aggression.
Iranian officials have a history of using hostile slogans and provocative language toward the United States and its leaders, but the call for actions alluding to violence within U.S. borders marks a stark departure from routine rhetoric. The timing of the remarks, amid deep protests and heightened global attention, suggests Tehran is attempting to link domestic unrest with anti‑American sentiment in a way that could inflame international tensions.
As the situation continues to evolve, aggressive messaging from Iranian power centers underscores the risks of further escalation, both in words and potential actions, even as regional and global actors watch developments closely.
