FIRST ON FOX – A new report from United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) is calling on the U.S. government to impose sanctions on and government-controlled organizations that have issued or promoted Islamic legal decrees, known as fatwas, advocating for the torture and assassination of President Donald Trump, other American citizens, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
These fatwas invoke the Islamic charge of “mohareb” — interpreted as “waging war against God” — a term within Iran’s penal code that, under the regime’s interpretation of Sharia law, mandates severe punishments, including crucifixion and cross-amputation.
“Today UANI is exposing the individuals and entities in Iran concealing themselves behind religion to incite terrorism globally. Threats against the president of the United States and other Americans constitute a federal crime. Each of these individuals and entities, along with their families, should face sanctions, indictment, and be prohibited from traveling to the United States and its allies,” stated a joint declaration from former Gov. , UANI’s chairman, and Ambassador Mark Wallace, its CEO and former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. for Management and Reform, provided to in a statement.
“The previous fatwa against another American citizen, Salman Rushdie, nearly resulted in his death, as he was stabbed by an Iranian regime sympathizer. It is imperative to ensure that those who threaten Americans encounter the full force of the law.”
UANI’s recent list identifies 11 individuals and two entities aligned with the regime that have not yet been sanctioned under U.S. counterterrorism laws. The organization advocates for their designation as Specially Designated Global Terrorists under Executive Order 13224, which applies to those involved in or supporting terrorism.
Among the primary targets is Ayatollah Naser Makarem-Shirazi, a powerful cleric referred to as the “Sultan of Sugar” due to his control over Iran’s lucrative sugar trade. Makarem-Shirazi has called for the execution of President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu under “mohareb,” which he interprets to include torture before death.
Another senior figure, Ayatollah Hossein Nouri Hamedani, a former student of Ayatollah Khomeini and his representative in Europe from 1979 to 1980, has issued multiple threats over the years. He has also issued fatwas targeting Trump and Netanyahu. UANI warns that such rulings constitute incitement to terrorism.
“These are not abstract religious pronouncements,” Jason Brodsky, UANI’s policy director, told Digital. “They are specific threats made by regime officials against the president of the United States. The U.S. should respond accordingly—with sanctions, law enforcement actions, and immigration reviews.”
The list also includes Ayatollah Mohsen Araki, the supreme leader’s former representative to the United Kingdom and head of the Islamic Center of England, which has been utilized as a platform to spread the Islamic Revolution in Europe.
This month, Araki threatened President Trump and , stating “their lives and property are no longer safeguarded. The U.S. government and president are now regarded as a hostile infidel government by all Muslims.”
Brodsky emphasized that Araki’s background demonstrates how Iran uses religious institutions in Western nations to propagate its revolutionary ideology. “This raises significant concerns about how the regime disseminates radicalism through what are termed religious charities abroad,” Brodsky noted.
Another cleric, Alireza Panahian, is linked to the and is described by UANI as a primary architect of Iran’s extremist ideology of Mahdism — which advocates for the annihilation of Jews and the destruction of Israel as necessary conditions for the return of the Hidden Imam. He has openly endorsed terrorist attacks on U.S.-led forces in the Middle East and beyond.
UANI is also urging counterterrorism sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the regime’s state-run television network. According to the report, IRIB broadcasted content that promoted a $10–$20 million bounty on President Trump’s head and solicited donations to fund the assassination.
A location in Tehran was struck by the Israeli Air Force during the 12-day conflict.
UANI additionally targeted the Qom Seminary, Iran’s foremost religious training center, for publicly endorsing and vowing to implement measures against Trump and Netanyahu. The seminary’s faculty and students reportedly signed statements affirming their intent to disseminate the decree.
“We only need to recall what occurred to to understand how these fatwas can inspire actual violence,” Brodsky stated, referring to the 2022 knife attack that left the author blind in one eye. “Now, these same incitements are being directed at President Trump while he holds office.”