An Iran prosecutor has laid “murder and terrorism charges” against US President Donald Trump for a drone strike that killed a top Iranian general.

Tehran prosecutor Ali Alqasimehr issued an arrest warrant for Mr Trump and 35 unidentified American officials over the death of General Qassem Soleimani in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on January 3. 

Mr Alqasimehr also requested help from the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) to detain Mr Trump, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.

He was quoted as saying that Iran requested a “red notice” be put out for Mr Trump and the others – the highest-level arrest request issued by Interpol.

Local authorities generally make the arrests on behalf of the country that requests it.

The notices cannot force countries to arrest or extradite suspects, but can put government leaders on the spot and limit suspects’ travel.

Mr Alqasimehr stressed that Iran would continue to pursue Mr Trump’s prosecution even after his presidency ends.

While he faces no danger of arrest, the charges underscore the heightened tensions between Iran and the US since Mr Trump unilaterally withdrew America from Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers.

Mr Alqasimehr said Mr Trump and the others face “murder and terrorism charges” but did not identify anyone else sought other than the US president.

Mourners demand revenge on the US as they carry the remains of Qassem Soleimani. Photo: AP

Interpol, based in France, did not immediately respond to AAP’s request for comment.

After receiving a request, Interpol meets by committee and discusses whether or not to share the information with its member states.

Interpol has no requirement for making any of the notices public, though some do get published on its website.

It is unlikely Interpol would grant Iran’s request as its guideline for notices forbids it from “undertaking any intervention or activities of a political” nature.

That was something noted by Brian Hook, the US special representative for Iran, who dismissed the announcement during a news conference in Saudi Arabia on Monday.

“It’s a propaganda stunt that no one takes seriously and makes the Iranians look foolish,” Mr Hook said.

The US killed Soleimani, who oversaw the Revolutionary Guard’s expeditionary Quds Force, and others in the January strike near Baghdad International Airport.

It came after months of rising tensions between the two countries.
Iran retaliated with a ballistic missile strike targeting American troops in Iraq.

-with AAP