Iran announces $30,000 (R485,000) bounty for killing or capturing US soldiers, doubles reward for women

Iran’s army has announced a bounty equivalent to $30,000 (R485,000) for anyone who kills or captures an American soldier, and said the reward would be doubled if carried out by a woman. The announcement, carried by the IRNA state news agency, did not specify where or when such actions were expected to take place.

What Iran’s military said

Army chief Amir Hatami told IRNA that the plan was drawn up following what he described as “the large number of requests” to participate in the financial support.

“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. He added:

“Courageous Iranian women who carry out such an action will receive double the reward.”

Context and limits of the announcement

The IRNA report noted there has been no known deployment of US ground forces in Iran during the Middle East war, except for a rescue mission in April for a downed American pilot. The military statement did not include operational details or locations for the promised payments.

Recent conflict background

The report said the conflict between Tehran and Washington began on February 28, followed by a ceasefire in April after nearly 40 days of fighting and a later collapse of a June framework for peace talks. Since then, the two countries have exchanged fire sporadically, with fighting mainly centred in southern Iran and around the Strait of Hormuz, according to the same report.

What the announcement leaves unanswered

• Who would qualify as an “invading American military personnel” under the army’s wording.

• Where payments would be made or how captures would be processed.

• Any legal or diplomatic mechanisms tied to the rewards.

This article is based on reporting carried by the IRNA state news agency and AFP as published by IOL.