Iranian Military Offers $30,000 Bounty for Killing or Capturing US Troops, Doubles Reward for Women

Iran's military said it will pay $30,000 to anyone who kills or captures a US service member. The reward will be doubled if the act is carried out by a woman.

IRIB, Iran's state broadcaster, reported on August 16 that Amir Hatami, commander-in-chief of the Iranian military, announced the plan at an award ceremony for journalists and media workers. He said the program was created after a surge of requests to participate in what he described as a "financial jihad."

Anyone who kills an "invading" US soldier or captures and turns one over will receive $30,000, or 5 billion toman, from the Iranian military under guarantees backed by supporters of the financial jihad, Hatami said.

Iranian women who successfully carry out the mission will receive twice that amount, he added.

Hatami also warned that the US should remember "this is Iran." If Washington miscalculates, it will become a lesson remembered in history, he said.

There has been no official disclosure during the war that US ground troops were deployed inside Iranian territory. In April, however, US forces rescued a pilot who had ejected after an American warplane crashed.

The war between the US and Iran began on February 28, when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran. After about 40 days of fighting, the two sides reached a ceasefire in April. A framework for peace talks was set in June, but the effort ultimately collapsed.

Since the collapse of those talks, the US and Iran have continued sporadic armed clashes centered on southern Iran and the Strait of Hormuz. Mediators including Qatar and Pakistan are in contact with both sides, but have not found a way to restart negotiations.

Lee Bo-bae, Hankyung.com contributing reporter, newsinfo@hankyung.com