Trump, Netanyahu, Meloni among 13 leaders named on Iran-linked ‘revenge list’

A hardline Iranian newspaper has published an infographic naming 13 foreign political and military leaders it claims should be targeted in retaliation for the killing of Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, though there is no indication the list has been officially endorsed by the Iranian government.

The infographic, shared by Tehran-based newspaper Hamshahri, appeared shortly after Iran’s new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei vowed revenge for his father’s death in the US-Israeli strikes that marked the start of the ongoing Middle East conflict.

In his first public statement since assuming leadership, Mojtaba Khamenei declared that “vengeance is the will of our nation” and warned that those responsible “will take to their graves the wish of a peaceful death.” While he referred to a list of individuals, he did not identify anyone by name.

The Hamshahri graphic, however, features 13 prominent leaders from the United States, Israel and Europe, including US President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. It also names senior US and Israeli officials, including Marco Rubio, Pete Hegseth, Israel Katz, Gideon Sa’ar, Eyal Zamir and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.

The inclusion of European leaders reflects Tehran’s repeated accusations that Britain, France, Germany and Italy failed to condemn the US-Israeli military campaign and, in some cases, facilitated operations by allowing the use of their airspace.

The publication comes amid escalating hostilities between Iran and the United States around the Strait of Hormuz. The latest round of fighting began after an Iranian attack on a commercial vessel in the strategic waterway, prompting US strikes on Iranian military infrastructure. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks targeting countries hosting US military facilities, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, the UAE and Oman.

The growing conflict has heightened concerns over the collapse of diplomatic efforts to contain the war. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that further escalation could have catastrophic consequences for regional stability and the global economy.

Although Mojtaba Khamenei’s statement signalled Tehran’s determination to retaliate, there has been no official confirmation that the newspaper’s published list represents the formal position or policy of the Iranian state.