TEHRAN — Iran’s military has announced a controversial bounty of $30,000 for anyone who kills or captures a United States soldier and hands the personnel over to Iranian authorities, with the reward doubled for Iranian women who carry out the act.
Iranian Army Chief, Amir Hatami, announced the initiative on Sunday, saying it was introduced in response to what he described as a large number of requests from people seeking to participate in financial support for the country during its conflict with the United States.
According to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, Hatami said anyone who kills or captures an American military personnel and hands the individual over to the Islamic Republic’s Army would receive a reward equivalent to 5 billion tomans, or approximately $30,000.
“Anyone who kills or captures and hands over an invading American military personnel will receive a reward equivalent to $30,000 or 5 billion tomans from the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Army,” Hatami said.
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He added that Iranian women who successfully carry out such an action would receive twice the standard reward.
“Courageous Iranian women who carry out such an action will receive double the reward,” he said.
The announcement comes amid continued tensions between Tehran and Washington following months of military confrontation in the Middle East.
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There has been no known deployment of American ground troops inside Iran during the conflict, apart from a rescue operation in April involving a downed US pilot. Hatami did not provide details about where or when Iranian authorities expected American soldiers to be targeted or captured.
The conflict between Iran and the United States began on February 28, when the United States, alongside Israel, launched attacks against Iranian targets. The fighting continued for nearly 40 days before an April ceasefire was reached.
A framework for renewed peace negotiations was subsequently agreed in June, but the process later collapsed, leading to renewed sporadic exchanges of fire between Tehran and Washington.
Fighting has since been concentrated largely in southern Iran and areas surrounding the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most significant energy shipping routes.
The latest bounty announcement is expected to further heighten concerns over the safety of American military personnel and the possibility of attacks by individuals seeking to claim the financial reward.
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Iran has yet to provide further details on how the bounty would be administered, how claims would be verified, or how individuals who successfully capture an American soldier would be expected to hand the personnel over to Iranian authorities.
The announcement also adds another provocative dimension to the ongoing confrontation between Tehran and Washington, as both sides continue to face pressure to return to negotiations and prevent the conflict from escalating further.
