Top Shia cleric Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi declares jihad against US and Israel

A prominent Iranian Shia cleric has issued a sweeping religious order calling on Muslims worldwide to wage jihad against the United States and Israel, following the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a joint military strike. 

Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi, one of Iran’s most senior clerics at 99, declared that avenging the death of the Supreme Leader was now a universal obligation for Muslims, according to state-affiliated outlets.

The announcement came amid intense regional upheaval and public mourning across Iran, where crowds have taken to the streets following the attack that killed the Islamic Republic’s top authority.

Top clerics issue religious orders for retaliation

State media reported that Makarem Shirazi described retribution for Khamenei’s death as a “religious duty”, urging Muslims to “eradicate the evil of these criminals from the world.”

Another senior figure, Ayatollah Nouri Hamedani, issued his own fatwa demanding that Muslims “avenge the blood” of the fallen leader.

According to Mehr News Agency, Makarem Shirazi declared that jihad against the United States and Israel was required, stating that “avenging the blood of the martyred leader is a religious duty for Muslims around the world.”

Joint US–Israeli strikes kill Iran’s Supreme Leader

Khamenei, 86, was killed during a major aerial assault launched by the United States and Israel on 28 February, in what officials described as a sweeping campaign targeting Iranian state and military infrastructure.

The attack marked a dramatic escalation in long-running tensions between Tehran and Washington, coming only months after a previous round of American strikes linked to nuclear negotiations.

Donald Trump announced Khamenei’s death before Iranian state media did, describing the moment as Iranians’ “greatest chance” to “take back” their country. Iranian outlets IRNA and Press TV later confirmed the death.

The loss of the long-serving leader has raised uncertainty about Iran’s political future, with no clear successor in place and the Supreme Leader historically wielding final authority over all major state matters.

Iran warns of unprecedented retaliation

In the aftermath, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps vowed to launch its “most-intense offensive operation” to date, threatening action against Israeli targets and American bases across the region.

At the same time, senior Iranian officials have framed Khamenei’s death as both a national tragedy and a moment of historical consequence. Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi issued a lengthy tribute, beginning with a Quranic verse shared on the Foreign Ministry’s official X account, “Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with God. Some of them have fulfilled their vow (by sacrificing their lives), and some are still waiting, and they have never changed in the least.”

Araghchi warned that Khamenei “will remain a living nightmare for his killers forever”, and expressed grief in a message saying he extended condolences “to His Holiness the Imam of the Age … the noble nation of Iran, and the Islamic Ummah.”

He described the late leader as “resolute in decision, profound in wisdom, and steadfast on the path of truth,” noting that although his death was a “tremendous loss,” his ideological legacy would endure.

Echoing these sentiments, the Iranian Foreign Ministry also issued a separate statement following the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, describing his death as a transformative moment for the nation and the wider Islamic world.

In a post on X, the ministry reflected on his decades of leadership, stating that "The Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali #Khamenei, lived a pious life, loved #Iran, secured Iran's independence, opposed foreign domination, and worked tirelessly for our country's resilience and fortitude."

Ministry calls death a turning point for Iran and Islam

In a separate statement, the Iranian Foreign Ministry declared Khamenei’s life an example of “piety” and defence of Iran’s independence. It highlighted the symbolism of his death, noting, “His last phase of life – an honourable and dignified death as a martyr on the 10th day of Ramadan at the hands of the most corrupt and criminal individuals on earth – turns him into an inspiring legend in the history of Iran and Islam.”

Grief and anger spill into the streets

Across Iran, large public mourning ceremonies have taken place, with millions gathering in cities including Tehran, Isfahan, and Zanjan. Press TV reported chants of “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” at the Hazrat Masoumeh Shrine in Qom.

In a dramatic gesture symbolising promised retaliation, a red “flag of revenge” was raised over the Jamkaran Mosque, a significant religious site associated with Shia eschatological belief.

(With ANI inputs)