That’s how much Iran’s military is offering to the country’s citizens. But there’s a catch – capture or kill US soldiers. $30,000. For women, the reward doubles to $60,000.
Since the beginning of the US-Iran war in the Middle East , there has been no known deployment of American forces on ground except for the time when an airman from the country was down. He declared that the US’ claims about their military power had been exposed during its war with Iran. However, the ceasefire has remained fragile, and talks have not progressed since. The countries have instead exchanged sporadic fires, with fighting mainly centred in southern Iran and around the Strait of Hormuz. All of them have been killed outside of Iran, including in countries like Iraq and Jordan.
The declaration comes at a time when a 60-day deadline under the US-Iran Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, signed on June 17, nears. Under the agreement, Iran and the US had agreed to a temporary ceasefire and continue talks for a permanent solution, after fighting for 40 days since February 28. So far, the number of US military personnel killed since the start of the US-Iran war stands at 17.
Iranian Army chief Amir Hatami announced the $30,000 bounty to capture soldiers, saying that the plan had been drawn up after a “large number of requests” to participate, according to an AFP report quoting IRNA state news agency. “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, without providing details of when or where the killing or capturing of the US soldiers would take place. “Courageous Iranian women who carry out such an action will receive double the reward,” Hatami said, speaking of the bounty. This is not everything the awardee will receive, according to another report by The Jerusalem Post . Hatami reportedly said that the weapon used to kill a US soldier will be purchased at double the price, and the person will receive a new weapon. “The individual’s weapon will also be kept in a planned museum,” he added, as per the report. Hatami backed his country’s call for the US to withdraw from the Middle East, saying “they no longer have permission to enter the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman or the Strait of Hormuz”.
