Washington: U.S. President (AS) Donald Trump has once again issued a stern warning to Iran, stating that the country will be “erased from the face of the earth” if Tehran succeeds in killing him.

In an escalation of increasingly sharp rhetoric, both the US and Iran have signaled the threat of large-scale war if either country's leader is attacked.

Trump made the statement in an interview with News Nation aired on Tuesday, when responding to questions about potential threats to his safety.

“I have very clear instructions. If anything happens (to me), they will be wiped off the face of the earth,” Trump said, as quoted by Channel News Asia, Wednesday, January 21, 2026.

Earlier that day, in response to possible threats against Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iranian General Abolfazl Shekarchi said Trump has understood that Tehran will not hold back if the situation turns against them.

“Trump knows that if there is an act of aggression directed at our leader, we will not only cut that hand, and this is not just a slogan,” Shekarchi told Iranian state media.

He added that Iran will respond with full force and will not leave a “safe haven” for the attacking party.

Trump previously issued a similar warning to Iran a year ago, shortly after returning to the White House. At that time, he told reporters that “if they do it, they will be eliminated,” referring to alleged Iranian plans to target him.

These tensions have arisen amid ongoing domestic unrest in Iran. Since December, Iran has been rocked by the largest wave of protests in decades, triggered by an economic crisis and the plummeting value of the national currency.

Human rights groups have reported thousands of casualties in security crackdowns. Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) recorded over 4,000 verified deaths, while the Norway-based Iran Human Rights organization estimates the number of victims could be much higher, though it is difficult to confirm due to communication restrictions.

Several Iranian diaspora figures abroad, including Nobel Peace Laureate Shirin Ebadi, have called for international pressure on the Tehran government. Ebadi has urged stronger international measures against Iran’s Supreme Leader and the commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.