The Khamenei-funded newspaper Kayhan wrote on Monday that US President-elect Donald Trump can only come to Iran to face punishment for ordering the 2020 assassination of IRGC commander Qassem Soleimani.
“Trump can only come to Tehran to face qisas [retribution],” Kayhan wrote, referencing the Islamic principle of justice, interpreted as retaliation or punishment equal to the crime committed.
The editorial reflects the hardline media's continued opposition to any overtures of negotiation with the United States, which some Iranian officials have hinted at in recent months, including President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Veteran diplomat and vice president Mohammad Javad Zarif recently remarked that Trump should not be viewed as a "monster" and suggested that dialogue might be possible.
However, Kayhan said such positions undermine Iran's power.
Last week, Iran's ultraconservatives condemned Pezeshkian for his comments to NBC News, in which he denied Iran’s intention to assassinate Trump to avenge the January Soleimani's killing.
Hardline media outlets intensified their rhetoric, with another newspaper, Javan, labeling government officials as "Trump's representatives" and openly advocating for capital punishment.
