President Donald Trump signed a sweeping executive order on Monday, February 3, 2025, targeting Iran while revealing he has left explicit instructions for the country to be “obliterated” if he is assassinated, escalating tensions between the two nations.
“I’ve left instructions. If they do it, they get obliterated; there won’t be anything left,” Trump stated during the signing ceremony at the White House. The statement follows the U.S. Justice Department’s revelation of a thwarted Iranian plot to assassinate Trump before the 2024 presidential election.
Federal authorities have been monitoring threats from Iran against Trump and other former administration officials since his 2020 order to kill Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, who led the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force.
The newly signed executive order directs cabinet secretaries to implement a range of measures against Iran, including additional sanctions, modification of existing sanctions waivers, and restrictions on technology transfers that could be used for military purposes.
Will Scharf, senior policy adviser to Trump, explained that the memorandum is designed to exert maximum pressure on Iran by implementing targeted sanctions and enforcing strict oversight of its activities. He emphasized that the primary focus is on curbing Iran’s nuclear ambitions and limiting its financial and logistical support for terrorist organizations.
Throughout its term, the Biden administration had closely tracked potential threats, with senior U.S. officials engaging in direct communication with Iranian leadership to address concerns. A White House official familiar with these exchanges highlighted that any effort to target or harm a U.S. citizen, including former government officials, would prompt swift and severe consequences from the United States.
Trump’s contingency plan mirrors the United Kingdom’s “letters of last resort,” classified instructions given to British nuclear submarine commanders in case of a catastrophic attack on the nation. Military analysts suggest such measures are designed as deterrents against potential aggressors.
Iranian officials responded swiftly to Trump’s warning, calling his remarks “provocative” while asserting their right to pursue legal action over Soleimani’s killing. The Justice Department has documented several alleged Iranian plots against U.S. officials, including a November 2022 scheme involving an Iranian named Farhad Shakeri.
The executive order instructs the Treasury Department to implement new enforcement mechanisms targeting Iran’s financial networks while directing the State Department to work toward reducing Iran’s oil exports to zero through diplomatic channels and sanctions.
U.S. intelligence services have identified what they describe as “real and specific threats” from Iran, according to Trump campaign officials. In July 2023, Trump survived an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania, though investigators have not linked the incident to Iran.
