Iran announces $30,000 bounty for capture or killing of US troops
The Islamic Republic of Iran’s Army has declared a financial incentive for citizens to target American military personnel, doubling the sum for female participants, while noting no US ground forces are currently stationed within Iranian borders.
The Iranian military announced on Sunday that it would offer a reward of $30,000 for the killing or capture of United States soldiers, with the amount doubled to $60,000 if the act is carried out by a woman. Army chief Amir Hatami stated that the initiative was developed in response to a "large number of requests" from citizens wishing to participate in the conflict, according to the IRNA state news agency.
Hatami specified that the bounty, equivalent to 5 billion tomans, would be paid by the Islamic Republic of Iran's Army to anyone who hands over an "invading American military personnel." The announcement did not provide specific details regarding where or when such operations were expected to take place, nor did it clarify the legal mechanisms for enforcing the reward.
The declaration comes against a backdrop of sporadic fighting between Iran and the United States, which began on 28 February 2026 following joint attacks by Washington and Israel on Iranian territory. Although a ceasefire was declared in April after nearly 40 days of intense combat, and a peace framework was established in June, that agreement has since collapsed. Hostilities have continued intermittently, primarily centred in southern Iran and around the Strait of Hormuz.
Despite the announcement, there are no known deployments of US ground troops in Iran during the current war. The only exception occurred in April, when approximately 200 US troops and over 170 aircraft were involved in a rescue mission for a downed American airman. During that operation, Iranian forces damaged an A-10 ground attack aircraft, and the US reportedly abandoned and destroyed additional aircraft, including a C-130 transport plane.
All 17 US military personnel killed since the start of the conflict have died outside of Iran, in countries including Jordan and Iraq. Hatami reiterated Iran’s position that US forces no longer have permission to enter the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, or the Strait of Hormuz, while calling for American withdrawal from the Middle East. Indirect diplomatic contacts via mediators have continued with little sign of a breakthrough, as Iran maintains demands for war damages to reopen the strategic waterway.
