A conservative Iranian newspaper has sparked international concern by publishing a list of foreign officials it claims should be targeted for retaliation following the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The outlet, Hamshahri—owned by Tehran Municipality—released the list late Saturday night (July 11, 2026), featuring photographs of 13 foreign officials alongside a statement attributed to Mojtaba Khamenei, Ali Khamenei’s son and designated successor.
Named Figures Include Top Western Leaders
Among those named are U.S. President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Also included are U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Context: Assassination and Vow of Retaliation
According to the report, Ali Khamenei was killed in a U.S.-Israeli military operation on February 28—the first day of what the article refers to as ‘the war.’ His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, has publicly sworn to exact revenge.
The publication’s imagery—including AI-generated depictions of several leaders in prison uniforms—has drawn widespread attention online and raised alarms about escalating rhetoric amid heightened regional tensions.