Iran plots £43.5million bounty on the heads of Trump and Netanyahu | US | News
Iran’s parliament is set to vote on whether to place a €50 million (£43.5 million) bounty on the heads of Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, as a planned full-scale American military strike on Iran was narrowly averted after the US President changed course at the last minute.
The proposed bounty, which would be given to anyone who assassinates the US President or the Israeli Prime Minister, is considered retaliation for the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli attacks at the beginning of the current conflict.
Why is Iran voting to reward Trump and Netanyahu?
Ibrahim Azizi, who heads Iran’s national security commission, confirmed that lawmakers are working on a bill titled “Mutual action of the military and security forces of the Islamic Republic”. “Since Trump ordered the killing of Ali Khamenei, he should also be addressed by every Muslim and every free person,” he wrote, according to Iranian state television.
Mahmood Nabavian, the second member of the commission, also announced the upcoming vote and boasted that the prize in question would be “sending Mr. Trump and Netanyahu to hell.”
He wrote: “Threats against the Supreme Leader and military commanders have once again been heard from the dirty mouths of some enemy officials. The despicable American and Zionist officials and the presidents of the countries of the region should know that if there is any attack this time, we will destroy them and their palaces.”
If approved, an official government-sanctioned reward would represent a significant escalation beyond the death threats already made against both leaders, the Daily Mail reported.
Iranian religious authorities had issued fatwas targeting both men before the parliamentary vote was announced. These calls have grown louder since the conflict began at the end of February, with clerics repeatedly calling on Muslims worldwide to avenge Khamenei’s death.
Mr Trump has previously warned that any Iranian attempt against him would trigger “very strict orders” to “wipe them off the face of the earth”.
Why was the US attack on Iran stopped?
The escalating rhetoric comes as America’s planned, described “full-scale” strike on Iran, scheduled for today, was called off after Mr Trump reversed his decision at the eleventh hour following personal calls from Middle Eastern leaders for a negotiated nuclear deal to be reached.
Posting on Truth Social, Mr. Trump declared that the attack “will not continue” and made clear that the direct intervention of the rulers of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, as well as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was decisive in his change of heart.
He wrote: “I have been asked to postpone our military attack on the Islamic Republic of Iran, scheduled for tomorrow.”
The president said “serious negotiations are currently underway” and that America’s Gulf allies believe an agreement that is “highly acceptable” to the United States can be reached. He added: “More importantly, this Agreement will include not providing nuclear weapons to Iran! With all due respect to the above-mentioned Leaders.”
Mr. Trump reiterated his position that Iran should not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons under the terms of any peace agreement.
