A controversial crowdfunding campaign reportedly linked to an Iranian propaganda insider has surfaced, allegedly raising over $40 million for the assassination of former U.S. President Donald Trump. The campaign, dubbed “Blood Covenant”, has drawn sharp criticism and concern from analysts who describe it as a dangerous call to jihad and a reflection of extremist ideology within certain segments of Iranian society.
According to a report by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), the campaign was hosted on a website tied to individuals allegedly operating under the influence—or even protection—of the Iranian regime. The group behind it claimed the effort was to deliver “justice” against those they accused of threatening the “Deputy of Imam Mahdi,” a reference to a messianic figure in Shiite Islam.
“We pledge to award the prize to whoever can bring the militants and those who threaten the life of the Deputy of Imam Mahdi (may our souls be sacrificed for him) to justice,” read a post on the campaign website.
MEMRI described the effort as more than a political stunt. “This is a call to jihad, inviting believers to donate their money and sacrifice their lives,” the think tank stated. It warned that such calls were echoed in various layers of Iranian society, from street-level discourse to official state media, suggesting a broad religious and ideological endorsement.
One individual allegedly connected to the campaign has been identified as Hossein Abbasifar, a former employee of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the state’s principal propaganda outlet. Analysts Max Lesser and Maria Riofrio from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) linked Abbasifar to the site through metadata and other digital forensics.
Abbasifar also reportedly worked with the state-run radio network Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran, further suggesting official ties. “The U.S. government has an opportunity to set an example by holding him accountable,” Lesser and Riofrio wrote, urging targeted sanctions and public exposure of those behind the threats.
A senior U.S. State Department official, responding to the reports, confirmed that the administration was aware of the campaign and is actively monitoring the situation. “We are committed to using every tool at our disposal, including sanctions, to hold bad actors accountable and uphold the president’s maximum pressure strategy,” the official told the Washington Free Beacon.
The development comes amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran. Just last month, Iran’s Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi issued a fatwa—a religious edict—against Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The decree labeled them as “mohareb,” or enemies of God, for allegedly threatening the leadership of the Islamic Republic and the unity of the global Muslim community.
Analysts warn that such rhetoric—when paired with publicly promoted bounties—can inspire violent extremism and international instability. The “Blood Covenant” campaign, they say, represents a disturbing escalation in the use of religious and ideological justification for state-sanctioned threats against foreign leaders.
