By David Smith | Saturday, 28 February 2026
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned President Donald Trump on Saturday for the United States and Israel’s military strikes against Iran, labeling the operation an “illegal war of aggression” as Washington intensifies efforts to counter Tehran’s nuclear program.
“Today’s military strikes on Iran — carried out by the United States and Israel — mark a catastrophic escalation in an illegal war of aggression,” Mamdani wrote on social media. “Bombing cities. Killing civilians. Opening a new theater of war.”
The U.S. and Israeli forces launched “Operation Epic Fury” early Saturday, targeting the Tehran office of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other key sites. The strike followed weeks of failed negotiations aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear program, as Tehran refused to halt its uranium enrichment activities. A report confirmed the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Mamdani’s criticism came shortly after a White House meeting with Trump, where the former president held up a mock newspaper proclaiming “Trump to City: Let’s Build.” The apparent goodwill between the two dissolved immediately after Mamdani publicly denounced the Iranian strike.
“Americans do not want this,” the mayor stated. “They do not want another war in pursuit of regime change. They want relief from the affordability crisis. They want peace.”
His remarks drew swift backlash from Iranian dissident Masih Alinejad, who has been targeted for assassination by agents of Iran’s Islamic Republic. “To you, Zohran Mamdani! You stayed quiet when we have faced massacre, when Islamic Republic assassins were sent here in New York to kill us, stay quiet now!” she posted online. “STOP lecturing us Iranians about peace.”
“I don’t feel safe in New York listening to someone like you, Mamdani, who sympathizes with the regime that killed more than 30,000 unarmed Iranians in less than 24 hours,” she added.
Earlier this year, Trump called for a tougher stance against Iran following violent crackdowns on nationwide protests. In a Truth Social post, he wrote: “Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!… HELP IS ON ITS WAY.” Reports indicate Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps and Basij militia killed thousands during the suppression, with fatalities estimated at up to 36,500.
In response to escalating tensions, the United States has significantly bolstered military presence in the Gulf region by deploying two aircraft carriers and thousands of troops. Mamdani also sought to reassure Iranian-Americans living in New York — many of whom fled the ayatollah-led regime — calling them an integral part of the city’s fabric.
