Iran has announced a reward equivalent to $30,000 for anyone who kills or captures a US service member, opening a new front in its confrontation with Washington as a fragile US-Iran agreement reaches its deadline.
Iranian Army Commander-in-Chief Amir Hatami announced the scheme, according to Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB. Hatami described it as part of a “financial jihad”, under which contributions from Iranians would be used to fund rewards for targeting US forces.
The move comes as a June 17 Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Iran, intended to bring an end to months of war, is due to expire on Monday. Both sides have accused the other of violating its terms, while Tehran has yet to decide whether negotiations with Washington will resume, according to Al Jazeera.
What Has Iran Announced?
Hatami said the scheme was drawn up after what he described as a large number of requests from Iranians who wanted to contribute financially to the war effort.
Under the plan, a person who kills a US service member, or captures one and hands them over, would be eligible for a reward equivalent to $30,000, or 5 billion tomans. Hatami said the money would be backed by contributions from those taking part in what he called the “financial jihad”, with the Iranian Army guaranteeing the payment.
“Given the large volume of requests to participate in the financial jihad, a plan was prepared according to which, for every person who kills or captures and hands over an American aggressor force, the Islamic Republic of Iran Army, with the support of the loved ones participating in the financial jihad and under its own guarantee, will receive a gift equivalent to $30,000 or 5 billion Tomans. Zealous Iranian women who succeed in this action will also receive double the reward,” Hatami stated.
The incentive is even higher for women. According to Hatami, women who carry out such an act would receive double the stated reward, taking the amount to the equivalent of $60,000.
The scheme also includes a separate incentive involving the weapon used in the attack. “The weapon of any person who succeeds in killing an American aggressor will be purchased at double the price and will receive a new weapon. The individual’s weapon will also be kept in a planned museum,” he said.
The Announcement Comes Amid A Wider US-Iran Standoff
The announcement comes as tensions between Iran and the United States remain high, with a Memorandum of Understanding between the two sides reaching its deadline today.
The agreement was signed by US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian after talks hosted by Pakistan and was intended to end more than three months of fighting.
It called for an “immediate and permanent termination of military operations” and envisaged a “final deal” within a maximum of 60 days, with the possibility of an extension by mutual consent.
The arrangement, however, soon ran into trouble. By late June, both Washington and Tehran were accusing each other of violations. Trump subsequently said the agreement was “over”, while Iranian officials said the US had “violated and suspended” its commitments and that Tehran had “likewise suspended all our own commitments”, according to Al Jazeera.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has also said Tehran has not yet decided whether talks with Washington will resume.
“We have not yet made a decision to restart negotiations with the United States,” he said in a Telegram post on Saturday.
What Were The Two Sides Supposed To Do?
The June agreement covered much more than a halt in fighting.
The US was expected to end its naval blockade within 30 days, withdraw forces from near Iran after a final deal, begin work on a reconstruction and development package worth at least $300 billion, terminate sanctions, issue waivers for Iranian oil exports and allow Tehran access to frozen funds.
Iran, in turn, was expected to clear mines from the Strait of Hormuz and allow ships to pass without charge for 60 days. Tehran also reaffirmed that it would not seek nuclear weapons and agreed to negotiate on enrichment as part of a final settlement.
Many of those provisions did not materialise.
Why Is The Strait Of Hormuz Central To The Fight?
The Strait of Hormuz has emerged as one of the main pressure points in the confrontation.
Iran and the US have continued to dispute control of the waterway. Earlier this month, the Pentagon said US forces had fired on a Panama-flagged cargo vessel in the strait because it had “violated the US blockade against Iran”.
Tehran has meanwhile been discussing a separate arrangement with Oman over shipping routes through Hormuz. Araghchi has said such an agreement would only be possible if a broader political solution was reached.
Trump escalated the rhetoric further on Friday. “After we finish defeating Iran, which is being very badly defeated, pretty soon I’ll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States,” he said.
Hatami Hits Back At Washington
Hatami used the announcement to argue that the conflict had weakened US authority in the region.
“The Americans made many claims about their military power, and through this, they had received a lot of ransoms and money, but the war with Iran broke that hegemony. America no longer has the authority it once had, and the sign of this is the movement of countries towards other paths to generate security for themselves,” he said.
He also rejected Trump’s comments on Hormuz.
“The delusional US president is trying hard to create a winning image of himself. But today, few people in the world take him seriously. The image that the Western media itself is broadcasting of America today is the image of a loser. The image of someone who hides in a food truck out of fear and leaves other members of the government and journalists on a plane that the US Secret Service claims was under threat is the image of a big loser,” Hatami said.
Hatami also warned that Iran would not accept the restoration of US bases to their previous status in the region.
“Everyone should know that in no way can the American bases return to their previous status, and Iran will never allow centres to be established in our neighbourhood that aim to threaten Islamic Iran. The only way is for the Americans to leave the region. They have been effectively expelled and are no longer permitted to enter the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman, and the Strait of Hormuz. We have won on this path and are consolidating our victory,” he stated.
