Lindsey Graham death dominates Iranian newspapers' front pages with ‘being sent to hell’ remark and ‘get ready for sudden death’ warning for Trump, Netanyahu and others

Lindsey Graham death: The death of US Senator Lindsey Graham has triggered an extraordinary reaction in Iran, where several newspapers prominently featured his passing on their front pages. The newspapers in Iran used his death to issue fresh warnings aimed at US President Donald Trump, senior American officials and Israeli leaders.

One of the strongest messages came from the Iranian daily Hamshahri, which published a front-page illustration showing Trump kneeling beside Graham's portrait. The headline read, "Get Ready for Sudden Death," while the accompanying text suggested that Trump and other American leaders could face a similar fate.

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Beneath them are 11 other leaders shown wearing orange prison uniforms, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German chancellor Friedrich Merz, US Secretary of state Marco Rubio and US defence secretary Pete Hegseth.

'Merchant of Death': Another Iranian newspaper's message after Lindsey Graham death

Another Iranian newspaper, Vatan-e Emrooz, described Graham as the "Merchant of Death" on its July 13 front page.

The publication portrayed the South Carolina senator as one of the strongest supporters of US policies against Iran and reported that he had died following what it described as a "sudden illness."

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Iranian state media also aired inflammatory remarks during a broadcast. One newsreader declared: "I congratulate the Iranian nation on warmongering anti-Iran US Senator Lindsey Graham being sent to hell."

Iran's past threats against Graham fuel speculation

The reaction from Iranian media has also fuelled speculation among some supporters of Trump's MAGA movement.

Several pointed to previous threats allegedly issued against Graham by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and called for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.

There has been no official evidence linking Graham's death to any foreign involvement, but the newspaper coverage has intensified discussion across social media.

Why Lindsey Graham was viewed as one of Iran's fiercest critics

For years, Graham remained one of the most outspoken critics of Iran's leadership.

He repeatedly argued that Tehran's current government should be removed from power, consistently backed military aid to Ukraine and strongly supported Israel during the Gaza conflict.

The senator also faced international criticism after suggesting Israel could be justified in using nuclear weapons in Gaza during the war that began in October 2023.

Following attacks on Iran on February 28, Graham publicly renewed calls for regime change in Tehran, arguing that replacing the Iranian government could reshape the Middle East despite the enormous financial costs.

Meetings with Mossad before the Iran conflict

In the weeks leading up to the latest conflict with Iran, Graham travelled to Israel several times.

During those visits, he met officials from Israel's intelligence agency, Mossad, and later said the discussions provided intelligence that he believed had not been shared by the US government.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Graham also met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss ways of persuading Trump to support military action against Iran.

Graham later said the intelligence presented during those meetings convinced Trump to back the joint military campaign.

Before hostilities escalated, he had also urged Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to join military operations against Iran and later criticised Saudi Arabia for remaining outside the conflict.

Mojtaba Khamenei's 'revenge list' names Trump and 12 other leaders

The newspaper coverage of Lindsey Graham's death came alongside another controversial publication in Iran.

Late Saturday, Hamshahri released an online infographic described as a "revenge list" featuring 13 foreign leaders following the death of Iran's late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The publication coincided with the first public message from his son and successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, since his father's six-day funeral procession.

The graphic showed Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu with sniper-style crosshair targets placed over their foreheads.

Eleven other leaders appeared below them wearing orange prison uniforms, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

In his statement, Mojtaba Khamenei declared: "Vengeance is the will of our nation and must inevitably be carried out."

He added: "These criminals, whose names appear on a list, will take to their graves the wish of a peaceful death in their beds."

Although the infographic circulated widely online, it did not appear in Hamshahri's Sunday print edition. There has also been no indication that the list has been officially endorsed by the Iranian government.

Trump assassination reports add to tensions

The developments come at a time as several US media outlets reported that Iran had allegedly planned to assassinate President Donald Trump.

According to CNN, US officials had been tracking what it described as a "steady drumbeat" of intelligence concerning possible threats against the president.

The broadcaster, citing unnamed sources, reported that Israel had shared intelligence with Washington regarding a "specific" assassination plot targeting Trump.

The reports may also explain why Trump reportedly switched aircraft and travelled aboard an older plane while departing the NATO summit in Turkey.

Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump said: "They want to take out the US leader – me. I'm on whatever list. I saw this morning I'm on every single one of their lists."

US-Iran conflict continues despite ceasefire efforts

The controversy surrounding Lindsey Graham's death unfolded as fighting between the United States and Iran continued despite ceasefire efforts.

The US carried out strikes on around 140 targets after attacks on commercial vessels in the region.

Iran responded by saying the ships had "disregarded warnings" regarding an approved route and announced that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until the "end of US interference in this region."

The strategic waterway normally carries around one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.

Following the strikes, Tehran also criticised Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman.

Qatar described the attacks as a "dangerous escalation," while Oman's state news outlet said the government "affirms its condemnation and denunciation of this attack."

Meanwhile, Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf posted on X: "The era of one-sided deals is OVER. We told you: keep your word or pay the price. Reality is knocking."

The developments have further heightened tensions in an already volatile Middle East, with Lindsey Graham's death becoming the latest flashpoint in the ongoing war of words between Tehran and Washington.

(With inputs from agencies)