Khamenei's aide threatens Trump: 'Small drone may hit US President's navel'

In 2020, Trump had ordered the killing of Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian major general

Mohammad-Javad Larijani, a former top adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has hinted at a potential Iranian strike on former US President Donald Trump, according to Iran International.

"Trump has done something so that he can no longer sunbathe in Mar-a-Lago. "As he lies there with his stomach to the sun, a small drone might hit him in the navel. It's very simple."

The comments aired on July 9 and were first reported by Iran International, a London-based Persian-language news outlet.

However, Trump dismissed the threat. "It's been a long time. I don't know, maybe I was around seven or so. I'm not too big into it," he told Fox News when asked about his last sunbathing session. “I guess it's a threat. I'm sure it's not a threat but perhaps it is.”

In 2020, Trump had ordered the killing of Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian major general, who was killed in a US drone strike. In November 2023, the US Department of Justice charged Farhad Shakeri, believed to be working with the Iranian regime, for attempting to coordinate an attack on Trump.

Larijani’s comments also come two weeks after the US bombed Iran's nuclear and military facilities, while interfering in Israel and Iran's 12-day war.

The United States Secret Service (USSS) issued a statement saying it does not discuss specific protective intelligence matters. “We operate in a heightened and very dynamic threat environment and the safety and security of the President and all of our protectees remains our highest priority,” the USSS spokesperson said .

Iran International also linked Larijani’s comments to a rising online campaign named "Blood Pact”. The campaign is reportedly fundraising for revenge against individuals perceived as insulting or threatening Iran’s Supreme Leader.

Meanwhile, White House envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to meet Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Oslo this week to renew nuclear negotiations.

Trump earlier said that he would like to lift sanctions off Iran at some point. However, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said that trust would be an issue going forward in the relationship between the two countries.

Trump has also threatened to bomb Iran again if the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei does not end the country's nuclear enrichment programme.