Iranian army chief Amir Hatami announced a bounty of $30,000 [1] for each U.S. soldier killed or captured.
The announcement marks a significant escalation in rhetoric from Tehran, potentially increasing the risk of direct violence against U.S. military personnel stationed abroad.
Hatami said the announcement on Sunday, Aug. 16 [3]. According to the IRNA state news agency, the move comes in response to a large number of requests from individuals wishing to participate [1].
The reward structure varies based on the individual carrying out the act. While the base bounty is $30,000 [1], Hatami specified a higher incentive for women. "Courageous Iranian women who carry out such an action will receive double the reward," Hatami said [2]. This brings the total payment to $60,000 [2] for women who kill or capture U.S. soldiers.
Reports of the bounty have spread across multiple news outlets, including Channel News Asia and the New York Post, highlighting the military's intent to incentivize attacks. The Iranian military has not provided specific details on how these payments will be distributed or the geographical scope of the offer.
U.S. officials have not yet issued a formal response to the specific bounty figures. However, the announcement follows a period of heightened tension between the two nations, a relationship characterized by frequent diplomatic friction and proxy conflicts.
“Iranian army chief Amir Hatami announced a bounty of $30,000 for each U.S. soldier killed or captured.”
The introduction of financial incentives for the targeting of military personnel shifts the conflict from state-level posturing to the encouragement of asymmetric warfare. By offering a higher reward to women, Tehran may be attempting to broaden its recruitment base or utilize unconventional combatants to evade traditional security detection.
