In a recent Persian-language television interview, former Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki expressed approval for a fatwa advocating the assassination of former U.S. President Donald Trump. Interestingly, his daughter resides in New York City with her husband, an Iranian diplomat stationed at Iran’s permanent mission to the United Nations, as confirmed by Fox News Digital.

Mottaki, who held the position of Iran’s foreign minister from 2005 to 2010 under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, remains a significant figure within Iran’s political landscape. In the interview, he characterized the fatwa, which also targets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as both “brave and significant.” He referenced the Supreme Leader of Iran’s stance, allegedly labeling Trump a criminal and suggesting that Iran’s judiciary should take action. This information was derived from a video accessed by Fox News Digital.

Mottaki, who served as Iran’s foreign minister from 2005 to 2010 under then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and remains a prominent figure in Iran’s political establishment, said Iran’s Supreme Leader had determined that Trump was a criminal and suggested Iran’s judiciary should act, according to a video reviewed by Fox News Digital. 

He also described as a “brave and significant act” a religious ruling calling for the killing of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Iran’s former Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki speaks during a news conference in Tbilisi Nov. 3, 2010.  (David Mdzinarishvili /Reuters)

Mottaki’s daughter, Zahra Assadi Nazari, is married to Nasser Assadi Nazari, who is listed as a third counselor at Iran’s mission to the United Nations in New York.

The situation echoes previous controversies involving relatives of senior Iranian officials living in the United States. 

In January, Emory University dismissed Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani, the daughter of Iranian official Ali Larijani, from a teaching position after protests over her employment at the university’s medical school.

On Sunday, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Saeid Iravani, sparred with U.S. envoy Mike Waltz during a Security Council session, telling the American ambassador to “be polite,” a remark that drew a sharp rebuke.

Former Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki speaks during Tehran’s Friday prayers May 20, 2011.  (Morteza Nikoubazl/Reuters)

“I have one word only: I advise the representative of the United States to be polite,” Iravani said during the meeting.

Moments later, Waltz responded: “Frankly, I’m not going to dignify this with another response, especially as this representative sits here in this body representing a regime that has killed tens of thousands of its own people and imprisoned many more simply for wanting freedom from your tyranny.”

Fox News Digital contacted Iran’s mission to the United Nations asking whether it could confirm the relationship. The mission declined to comment.

Iran’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Amir-Saeid Iravani attends a United Nations Security Council meeting, after the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran, at U.N. headquarters in New York City, U.S. Feb. 28, 2026.  (Heather Khalifa/Reuters)

Fox News Digital also requested comment from the U.S. Mission to the United Nations regarding Mottaki’s remarks and the broader implications of a former senior Iranian official appearing to endorse violence against the sitting U.S. president while his immediate family resides in New York. No response was received by the time of publication.

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