Tehran: In a major escalation of the ongoing conflict in West Asia, the Iranian military has announced a massive financial reward for targeting American forces. On Sunday, Iran Army Commander in Chief Amir Hatami declared a bounty equivalent to $30,000, or 5 billion tomans, for anyone who kills or captures a United States service member.
In a statement quoted by the state news agency IRNA, Hatami confirmed that the reward amount will be completely doubled if the action is successfully carried out by an Iranian woman. Calling it a part of a broader financial jihad, the commander claimed the bounty plan was formulated following a massive volume of requests from the Iranian public to participate in funding the war effort against the United States.
The extraordinary announcement comes amid intense military hostility between Tehran and Washington. The ongoing war, which escalated drastically on February 28 after coordinated strikes by the Donald Trump administration and Israel, has already resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Since then, the two nations have engaged in sporadic but intense fighting primarily concentrated around southern Iran and the critical Strait of Hormuz.
During his public address, Hatami sharply criticized US President Donald Trump, specifically denouncing his recent claims about taking control of the Strait of Hormuz as American territory. Dismissing the provocative statements, the Iranian army chief labeled the US President as delusional and a big loser trying desperately to project a winning image. Hatami asserted that the current conflict has completely shattered American military hegemony and authority in the global arena.
Issuing a stern warning regarding the future of foreign presence in the region, the commander threatened all US military bases across the Middle East. He firmly stated that Iran will never permit the establishment of any threatening centers in its neighborhood and that American forces must completely evacuate the region. Hatami proudly claimed that the United States has already been effectively expelled and is no longer permitted to enter the Persian Gulf or the Sea of Oman.