Trump Warns Iran: 1,000 Missiles ‘Locked and Loaded’ After Khamenei Funeral Death Threats
President Trump warned that 1,000 U.S. missiles are 'locked and loaded' aimed at Iran, threatening massive retaliation if Tehran acts on alleged assassination threats, just days after Khamenei's funeral saw mourners openly calling for his death.
President Donald Trump warned on Saturday that 1,000 U.S. missiles are “locked and loaded” and aimed at Iran, threatening massive military retaliation if Tehran acts on alleged assassination threats against him. The declaration, posted on Truth Social, came just days after the funeral for slain Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei saw mourners openly calling for Trump’s death.
Trump’s Truth Social Warning
“1,000 missiles are locked and loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, with thousands more to immediately follow,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday. He added that orders had already been issued and claimed the U.S. military was prepared to “completely decimate and destroy” areas of Iran for up to a year, with the possibility of an extension.
The president described his threat as a direct response to Iranian efforts “to assassinate, or attempt to assassinate” him. Trump has repeatedly stated that he is “number one” on Iran’s kill list, citing intelligence assessments and the aftermath of the 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani.
Khamenei Funeral Sparks Outrage
The threats escalated dramatically during the weeklong funeral proceedings for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a U.S.-backed Israeli airstrike on February 28. Mourners in Tehran and the Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala were seen carrying posters and banners calling for Trump’s death, along with that of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Thousands flooded the streets of Tehran as authorities shut down streets, airspace, and daily life for the commemoration. Khamenei’s body was taken to Najaf and Karbala in Iraq — holy cities for Shiite Muslims — before returning to Iran for final burial. The scenes of massive crowds chanting anti-American and anti-Israeli slogans were broadcast worldwide, further inflaming tensions.
Ceasefire on the Brink
Trump’s missile warning represents the sharpest escalation yet in a rapidly deteriorating situation. Just days earlier at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, Trump declared the U.S.-Iran ceasefire “over,” calling Iranian leaders “scum” and “sick people.”
“To me, I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them,” Trump said of the ceasefire, which had been brokered just weeks earlier. The collapse of the truce follows a series of escalating attacks: Iran struck three ships in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting the U.S. to launch retaliatory strikes on Iranian military sites. Iran then targeted U.S. military installations in Bahrain and Kuwait.
Assassination Claims and Counter-Claims
Trump has intensified his assertions that Iran is actively plotting to kill him, telling the New York Post that he has left specific instructions for a devastating military response if he is assassinated.
“I’ve left instructions — if anything happens, to just literally bomb them at levels that they’ve never seen before,” Trump told the Post on Friday. He previously made similar threats in February 2025, saying Iran would be “obliterated” if he were killed by state actors.
Iran has consistently denied targeting Trump. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told NBC News in January that Iran “never attempted” to kill Trump and “never will,” calling the allegations part of an “Iranophobia” campaign designed by Israel. However, federal prosecutors have convicted at least one Iranian operative for plotting to assassinate Trump, and federal counterterrorism agencies have been on heightened alert for potential Iranian attacks in the U.S. since the war began.
Strait of Hormuz Crisis Deepens
Senior U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Trump is giving negotiators limited time to reach a deal with Iran. Key among U.S. demands: Iran must publicly state that the Strait of Hormuz — through which roughly one-fifth of all traded oil and natural gas flowed before the war — is open and that ships will not be attacked.
Iran has refused, insisting the strait remains under its sole control and that vessels should begin paying fees to Tehran. The standoff over the strategic waterway has triggered a global energy crisis, though oil prices have dropped from their wartime peak of $120 per barrel.
Iran’s U.N. diplomat said Friday that any activity in the Strait of Hormuz, including its opening or demining operations, “rests exclusively with Iran.”
What Happens Next
The convergence of Khamenei’s funeral, Trump’s missile threats, and the collapse of ceasefire negotiations has put the Middle East on a knife’s edge. Regional countries are closely monitoring developments, with diplomatic channels reportedly still open but under immense strain.
Israel has not claimed responsibility for additional strikes on Iran reported Thursday, adding further uncertainty about who else may be targeting the Islamic Republic. Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, has insisted the country’s theocracy remains unified despite the cascading crises.
With 1,000 missiles reportedly aimed at Iran and Trump vowing total destruction if any assassination attempt succeeds, the coming days will determine whether diplomacy can pull back from the brink — or whether the region spirals into an even deeper conflict.