The United States has announced a reward of up to $10 million for information on senior Iranian military and intelligence officials, including the country’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.
The offer, published on the U.S. Department of State reward programme website on Friday, targets 10 officials linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
According to U.S. authorities, the individuals sought are believed to play key roles in directing the activities of the IRGC, an elite military force established after the Iranian Revolution of 1979 to protect Iran’s clerical leadership.
“These individuals command and direct various elements of the IRGC, which plans, organizes, and executes terrorism around the world,” the State Department said.
The IRGC has been designated a foreign terrorist organisation by the United States, which accuses it of involvement in attacks that have killed American citizens.
New Supreme Leader
The reward notice includes Mojtaba Khamenei, who recently succeeded his father, Ali Khamenei, as Iran’s Supreme Leader.
Ali Khamenei was reportedly killed alongside several senior Iranian officials during joint U.S. and Israeli strikes launched on February 28 amid escalating tensions in the region.
Mojtaba Khamenei is believed to have been injured in those attacks and has not appeared publicly since. However, he issued his first public statement on Thursday.
Other Officials Named
In addition to the supreme leader, the reward programme also seeks information on several senior figures in the Iranian government, including:
- Security chief Ali Larijani
- Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib
- Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni
Videos verified on Friday showed Larijani attending a rally in Tehran alongside Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran’s president, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.
Iran has consistently denied U.S. accusations that it sponsors terrorism.
Officials in Tehran say such claims are politically motivated and used by Washington to justify sanctions and international pressure.
Tensions between the two countries have intensified in recent years, particularly since the 2020 killing of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani in a U.S. drone strike.
The latest move by US comes amid escalating hostilities in the Middle East and ongoing exchanges of threats between leaders in Iran, Israel, and the United States.
