Iranian state television has broadcast a segment that includes threats against Barron Trump, the youngest son of former President Donald Trump. The three-minute clip reportedly focuses on Barron, a university student, and uses stylized graphics to depict ways of reaching him in the United States, according to Iran International.
The video allegedly shows attempts to identify Barron's locations, map his social media profiles, and penetrate Secret Service protection. Much of the content appears to be AI-generated, including clips of Barron wearing an Arsenal shirt and playing video games. One AI-generated scene depicted a masked hacker searching for information about the younger Trump.
The segment also referenced a $10 million reward, though the source of the offered sum was unclear. Iran International reported that there is no evidence that any attempt on Barron Trump's life has been made.
This latest broadcast is one of the most explicit threats made against the Trump family and their associates. In the past, Iran has produced similar videos targeting Donald Trump and his wife, Melania.
Previous Threats and Retaliation
In 2024, the U.S. offered a $20 million reward for information leading to the arrest of an Iranian national accused of plotting to assassinate former National Security Adviser John Bolton. Shahram Poursafi, a member of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), was accused of attempting to hire U.S.-based criminals to kill Bolton in exchange for $300,000. Officials stated that Poursafi sought to hire "criminal elements within the United States" between October 2021 and April 2022.
More recently, in March of this year, an IRGC-trained operative was convicted of attempting an act of terror. Asif Merchant admitted that the IRGC had sent him to the U.S. to arrange political assassinations and steal documents, but law enforcement foiled the plot. Former Attorney General Pam Bondi stated at the time that the individual intended to kill President Trump but was apprehended by American law enforcement.
Iranian Response to Sanctions
Separately, Iran has dismissed threats of economic warfare from Donald Trump as "empty talk." Mohsen Rezaei, Iran's security chief, warned neighboring countries against assisting Washington's efforts to exert economic pressure on Tehran. Rezaei threatened retaliation against any nation that cooperates with the U.S. crackdown, stating that Iran could halt oil flow through the Persian Gulf.
"If countries neighboring Iran cooperate with the Americans in the economic war, we will target their interests," Rezaei declared in an interview with Iranian state media. He asserted that Iran does not wish to expand the conflict across the Middle East but warned that if neighbors sided with Washington, "we will not allow a single drop of oil to pass through the Persian Gulf."
Rezaei's comments signal a potential warning to major Gulf energy producers. While Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have developed alternative export routes to reduce their reliance on the Strait of Hormuz, Rezaei indicated that Tehran could target these alternative pathways as well. His remarks suggest that Iran's security establishment may increasingly view cooperation with the U.S. economic campaign as participation in a wider conflict.
Rezaei also insisted that Iran would "neutralize the economic war" being waged by the U.S., with the Trump administration expected to announce details of stricter sanctions imminently.