The call for action by United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) against Iranian clerics rallying hatred and violence is a reminder of the looming threats left unchecked.
At a Glance
- UANI urges U.S. sanctions against senior Iranian clerics for promoting threatening fatwas.
- Fatwas target leaders like former President Trump and Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu.
- UANI highlights the use of religion to propagate terrorism.
- Calls exist for international punitive measures against these Iranian religious figures.
- Concerns over Iranian sleeper cells within the U.S. highlight the real threats.
The Threat of Violent Fatwas
United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) is spearheading a campaign to impose sanctions on senior Iranian clergy. These clerics, including Ayatollah Naser Makarem-Shirazi and Ayatollah Hossein Nouri Hamedani, actively support fatwas calling for violent acts. The declarations, which target figures such as former President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, invoke the Islamic charge of mohareb, demanding harsh punishments under Sharia law.
Watch a report: 10 More Clerics Back Iran’s Fatwas
UANI emphasizes the danger these religious proclamations pose, asserting they are not mere rhetoric but real threats requiring immediate action. The organization’s policy director, Jason Brodsky, notes, “These aren’t abstract religious statements. They’re targeted threats by regime officials against the president of the United States. The U.S. should respond accordingly—with sanctions, law enforcement action, and immigration reviews.”
International Call for Sanctions
UANI has identified 11 Iranian individuals and two regime-aligned entities that remain unsanctioned under U.S. counterterrorism laws. These figures, including cleric Alireza Panahian with links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, are accused of promoting extremist ideology.
“Today UANI is exposing the individuals and entities in Iran hiding behind religion to foment terrorism abroad. Threats against the president of the United States and other Americans are a federal crime. Each of these individuals and entities should be sanctioned, indicted, and banned from travel, along with their families, to the United States and its allies.” – former Gov. Jeb Bush, UANI’s chairman, and Ambassador Mark Wallace
UANI also insists on penalizing the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) for its role in promoting bounties on international leaders, further proving the clerical regime’s influential reach and promoting violence across borders.
A new report by United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) is urging the U.S. government to impose sanctions on senior Iranian clerics and regime-controlled institutions that have issued or promoted Islamic legal rulings — known as fatwas — calling for the torture and assassination of… pic.twitter.com/7a3Duf0US5
— Melissa Hallman (@dotconnectinga) July 9, 2025
The Wider Implications
UANI’s recent report draws parallels between these fatwas and the attack on author Salman Rushdie, underscoring the tangible risk of real-world violence stemming from these religious edicts. Counterterrorism expert Jonathan Gilliam hints at the unsettling potential of Iranian sleeper cells operating within the United States, making it clear that dismissing these threats as mere words could have dire consequences.
“Counterterrorism expert Jonathan Gilliam said Iranian sleeper cells might be hiding ‘in plain sight’ as Iran has issued threats against America.” – Jonathan Gilliam
As former President Trump’s safety and that of other Western leaders hangs in the balance, the urgency for a robust U.S. response grows louder. The world awaits a decisive stand against these unchecked religious extremists.
