An unnamed eulogist has placed an $80 million bounty on the head of President Donald Trump in revenge for the hit that killed Quds Force leader Qasem Soleimani. Iranian state television ran the announcement of the bounty, which the eulogist framed as an offer on behalf of the Iranian people.
“If everyone anywhere in the world supports our initiative in Mashhad, on behalf of all of Iran’s people – 80 million Iranians – and each puts aside $1 US, it would equal $80 million,” the eulogist said. “And we would give this $80 million, on our own behalf, as a gift to anyone who brings the head of the person who ordered the murder of the grand figure of our revolution.”
If there were any doubt about whom the eulogist wanted assassinated, the statement concluded, “Anyone who brings us the head of this yellow-haired lunatic, we would give him $80 million on behalf of the great Iranian nation.”
London-based Iran reporter M. Hanif Jazayeri reported on the bounty and insisted that Iran’s people celebrated the death of Soleimani.
OMG! Iran's regime just announced an $80 million bounty for anyone who brings the head of @realDonaldTrump for killing Soleimani.
PS: Iran's ppl however are overjoyed at Soleimani's death. As the #IranProtests have shown, they long for an end to the mullahs' tyranny #FreeIran2020 pic.twitter.com/uB3zOG5EKA— M. Hanif Jazayeri (@HanifJazayeri) January 5, 2020
”Iran’s regime just announced an $80 million bounty for anyone who brings the head of [Donald Trump] for killing Soleimani,” Jazayeri tweeted. “PS: Iran’s ppl, however, are overjoyed at Soleimani’s death. As the #IranProtests have shown, they long for an end to the mullahs’ tyranny.”
Various media outlets clarified that the eulogist was not speaking for Iran’s government.
Trump ordered the hit on Soleimani after Iran-backed Iraqi militias besieged the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. The Quds Force leader directed Iran’s paramilitary influence campaigns outside the borders of the Islamic Republic, including terroristic efforts against protesters in the Syrian Civil War. The Pentagon claimed intelligence showed Soleimani ordered the attack on the embassy, which was arguably an act of war.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei vowed “severe revenge” for the hit on the Quds Force leader. It seems unlikely Iran will declare war, however.
Correction: The original version of this article claimed that Iran’s government placed the bounty on Trump’s head. An unnamed eulogist offered the bounty at Soleimani’s funeral, and it does not represent the official position of Iran’s government.
Follow Tyler O’Neil, the author of this article, on Twitter at @Tyler2ONeil.
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