The Islamic Republic says it will grant 1,000 square meters of farmland to the assailant who stabbed Salman Rushdie, the British author of The Satanic Verses.

Mohammad Ismail Zarei, head of the Secretariat to Implement Khomeini's Fatwa on Execution of Salman Rushdie said Monday that “We sincerely thank the young American for his brave action in carrying out the historic fatwa of Imam Khomeini.”

Rushdie was stabbed in the neck and torso on stage at a lecture in New York State by Hadi Matar, a 24-year-old man in August 2022. He lost on eye and movement in his hand after a lengthy medical treatment.

“With this action, he blinded Salman Rushdie in one eye and disabled his arm to make Muslims happy,” he added.

“Although Salman Rushdie is nothing more than a walking dead, in order to honor this brave action, about a thousand square meters of a valuable and fertile agricultural land will be awarded to the stabber or his legal representative in a special ceremony.”

He went on to say that the remaining part of the land will be given to those who kill Salman Rushdie.

Rushdie lived with a bounty on his head since "The Satanic Verses" published in 1988 prompted Khomeini to issue a fatwa urging Muslims to kill him.

Many accused the Islamic Republic of having ties with the attacker, but Iran’s foreign ministry denied any links with the 24-year-old stabber. However, some hardliners and regime insiders expressed gratification after the attack.