President Donald Trump has said he is “number one on Iran’s hit list,” remarking, “That’s just how life is, but I think you’ll miss me.” He made the comments while returning to the United States after concluding the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey. Citing security concerns, Trump reportedly altered his travel arrangements for the return journey.
Trump has been regarded as Iran’s principal adversary since he ordered the killing of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani. That episode has continued to shape the adversarial relationship between Washington and Tehran in the years since.
In a further escalation, Trump formally declared that the peace agreement reached with Iran has come to an end. He described Iran’s negotiators as “criminals” and said engaging with them had been a waste of time. “They are extremely cruel and violent people. As far as I’m concerned, this deal is over,” he said.
The remarks come after recent US strikes on 80 locations inside Iran, underscoring the sharp deterioration in relations between the two countries. The timing of Trump’s comments, alongside the military action, has drawn significant international attention.
Tensions were further inflamed during the funeral of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran, where large crowds were seen chanting slogans and displaying posters calling for the deaths of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The developments have unfolded even as diplomatic efforts to arrange peace talks between the two nations were reportedly underway, making the situation a major point of international concern.