On Monday, February 3, 2025, President Donald Trump signed a comprehensive executive order targeting Iran. In an unexpected move, he revealed that he has given clear directives for Iran to face obliteration if he is assassinated, thereby heightening tensions between the U.S. and Iran.
During the signing ceremony at the White House, Trump declared “I’ve left instructions. If they do it, they get obliterated; there won’t be anything left.” This came in the wake of the U.S. Justice Department’s disclosure of a foiled Iranian assassination plot against Trump prior to the 2024 presidential election.
Ever since Trump’s 2020 order to assassinate Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force, U.S. federal authorities have been vigilant about threats from Iran against Trump and other ex-administration officials.
The executive order that Trump signed mandates cabinet secretaries to enforce a series of measures against Iran. These include additional sanctions, changes to existing sanctions waivers, and restrictions on technology transfers that could potentially be used for military objectives.
Will Scharf, Trump’s senior policy adviser, elaborated that the directive is aimed at applying maximum pressure on Iran through targeted sanctions and stringent supervision of its activities. He stressed that the main objective is to restrain Iran’s nuclear aspirations and limit its financial and logistical backing for terrorist groups.
The Biden administration had been diligently monitoring potential threats during its term, with high-ranking U.S. officials initiating direct dialogue with Iranian leadership to address concerns. A White House official who was privy to these interactions emphasized that any attempt to target or harm a U.S. citizen, including former government officials, would lead to immediate and severe repercussions from the United States.
Trump’s contingency plan reflects the United Kingdom’s “letters of last resort,” which are confidential instructions given to British nuclear submarine commanders in the event of a devastating attack on the nation. Military analysts believe such plans are intended as deterrents against potential attackers.
In response to Trump’s warning, Iranian officials promptly labelled his comments as “provocative” and asserted their right to take legal action over Soleimani’s assassination. The Justice Department has recorded several alleged Iranian plots against U.S. officials, one of which involved an Iranian named Farhad Shakeri in the fall of 2024.
The executive order directs the Treasury Department to put into action new enforcement mechanisms aimed at Iran’s financial networks. It also instructs the State Department to endeavor to reduce Iran’s oil exports to zero through diplomatic avenues and sanctions.
According to officials from the Trump campaign, U.S. intelligence agencies have identified what they term “real and specific threats” emanating from Iran. Trump survived an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania in July 2024, although investigators have not attributed the incident to Iran.