Iran has branded Donald Trump an "enemy of God" and urged Muslims to make him "regret his actions", raising fears of possible further assassination attempts against the US President. The call to arms was issued in a religious ruling known as a fatwa by Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi - Iran's top religious cleric.

The fatwa was also issued against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to the Tehran Times. In a written statement, Ayatollah Shirazi declared: "Any regime or individual threatening the leaders of the Islamic Ummah and acting on those threats qualifies as a Muharib."

Under Shia Islamic jurisprudence, a "Muharib" is defined as someone who wages armed rebellion, terrorism or violent crimes that spread fear and disorder in society. The prescribed punishment for such offences is death via execution and also crucifixion.

The British author Salman Rushdie had a fatwa placed on his head following the publication of his novel "The Satanic Verses" in 1988, which was deemed as offensive to Muslims and blasphemous.

The author has endured several assassination attempts since, including a knife attack in upstate New York in 2023, following which he lost an eye.

The religious decree comes in the wake of the "12-Day War", which saw Israeli and US bombers attack nuclear and military facilities across Iran.

The US Army blasted Iran's nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan with 30,000-pound bunker buster bombs and Tomahawk cruise missiles in a brutal bombardment.

Trump has claimed that the attacks "obliterated" the sites and seriously dented Iran's nuclear ambitions.

However, a preliminary report by US intelligence suggested the military operation had only set back Iran's nuclear programme by just a few months.

And in a further blow to the White House, Iranian officials were heard remarking that the attacks were less devastating than they had expected in intercepted phone conversations.

According to the Washington Post, the Iranians can be heard speculating about why the strikes were not as destructive and extensive as anticipated.

Meanwhile, Trump denied his administration was involved in any dialogue with Iran over helping Tehran access up to US$30 billion to support a civilian nuclear energy programme.

"I'm not talking to Iran. We're not offering them anything," the US President insisted on Monday.