German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) appeared on Saturday night in an alleged "revenge list" published by the ultra-conservative newspaper Hamshahri, which is close to the Iranian regime. In the image, Merz appears dressed as a prisoner, alongside other Western political leaders who, according to the newspaper, should "pay" for the death of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.
The list is headed by U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with each of their foreheads marked by a crosshair. Also featured are other Western leaders and senior U.S. politicians, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
So far, there is no indication that the image published by the newspaper has been officially approved by Iranian authorities. However, the rhetoric of "revenge" against Western countries, particularly the United States and Israel, is not new in the context of Ali Khamenei's death. "Revenge is the will of our people and must inevitably be carried out," his son and successor, Mostafa Khamenei, said on Saturday in his first written message since his father's funeral.
Mostafa Khamenei added that Iran has drawn up a list of people who should be targeted for action, but did not provide specific names. "These criminals," he said, "will not escape justice."
