The United States government has announced a $10 million reward for information leading to the identification or capture of senior Iranian leaders, including the country’s new Supreme Leader, in a dramatic escalation of tensions amid the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.
According to details published by Arab News, the reward was issued through the U.S. State Department’s “Rewards for Justice” program, which is seeking intelligence on ten senior Iranian officials connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The IRGC is one of Iran’s most powerful military and security institutions, created after the 1979 Islamic Revolution and tasked with defending the country’s clerical leadership.
Among those targeted in the announcement is Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who recently became Iran’s Supreme Leader after his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was reportedly killed during joint U.S.–Israeli military strikes that began on February 28. Reports indicate that the younger Khamenei may have been injured during those strikes and has not appeared publicly since, though he recently issued a statement addressing the nation.
In addition to the new Supreme Leader, the United States is seeking information about several high-ranking Iranian officials. These include Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani, Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib, and Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, along with other key figures believed to play strategic roles within Iran’s security structure.
The U.S. State Department claims the individuals targeted in the reward program “command and direct various elements of the IRGC,” which Washington accuses of planning and carrying out terrorist activities worldwide. The IRGC has been formally designated by the United States as a foreign terrorist organization.
Despite these accusations, Iranian authorities have consistently rejected U.S. claims that the country sponsors terrorism. Tehran argues that such allegations are politically motivated and designed to justify international sanctions and pressure campaigns against the Iranian government.
The reward announcement comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tension in the Middle East. The United States has previously accused Iran of orchestrating assassination plots against American officials, including former President Donald Trump, in retaliation for the 2020 killing of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani.
Meanwhile, Iranian officials have continued to project defiance. Footage verified by Reuters recently showed Ali Larijani appearing publicly alongside Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi at a rally in Tehran, contradicting claims by some U.S. officials that Iran’s leadership had gone into hiding.
Analysts say the U.S. reward announcement could further deepen hostilities between Washington and Tehran, potentially escalating an already volatile regional conflict. The move also signals Washington’s determination to intensify pressure on Iran’s military leadership as tensions continue to ripple across the Middle East.