Iranian Conservative Editor Demands Trump’s Extradition for Trial as Condition for US Talks

Hossein Shariatmadari, editor of the Iranian conservative newspaper Kayhan and a close ally of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has issued an unprecedented demand that any future negotiations with the United States be conditioned on the extradition of former US President Donald Trump to Iran for trial. According to Iran International, Shariatmadari stated in a recent article that this step is essential to fulfilling Khamenei’s directives regarding diplomatic engagements with the West. He emphasized that Iran’s judiciary should conduct Trump’s trial.

Kayhan is known as a mouthpiece for Iran’s most hardline establishment factions, including the Revolutionary Guards and the Supreme Leader’s office, giving Shariatmadari’s statements significant political weight. Beyond demanding Trump’s extradition, the editor called for a complete boycott of the White House by Iranian negotiators, refusing to meet with Trump or his representatives. Instead, he proposed that any American negotiation team should consist solely of members of the US Congress, effectively bypassing the executive branch.

These extreme demands reflect the long-standing hostile relations between Iran and the US, which have worsened following recent conflicts. Shariatmadari concluded his article with a threatening tone, asserting that efforts to avenge Khamenei’s grievances should not be confined to the Middle East but must also be carried out on American soil itself.