US Announces $10M Bounty on Mojtaba Khamenei, Senior Officials

US Announces $10M Bounty on Mojtaba Khamenei, Senior Officials

The United States Department of State has announced a $10 million reward for information related to Mojtaba Khamenei, the new supreme leader of Iran, as tensions escalate in the Middle East following ongoing military clashes.

The bounty was issued under the Rewards for Justice Program, a U.S. government initiative that offers financial incentives for intelligence leading to the identification, location, or prosecution of individuals accused of involvement in terrorism targeting the United States.

Reward Announced Amid Escalating Conflict

The announcement comes after a sharp escalation in hostilities triggered by coordinated military strikes by the United States and Israel on Iranian military installations beginning on February 28. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks across several parts of the Middle East, intensifying regional instability.

Alongside Mojtaba Khamenei, the updated list released by the Rewards for Justice programme also includes Iran’s interior minister and the minister of intelligence and security.

In a statement posted on social media, the programme urged anyone with information about the Iranian officials to come forward, stating that informants could receive financial rewards and potential relocation assistance.

Trump Claims Iran “About to Surrender”

Meanwhile, Donald Trump, president of the United States, claimed that the Iranian government was nearing surrender amid the ongoing conflict.

According to reports from Axios, Trump made the remarks during a virtual summit with leaders of the Group of Seven nations while discussing the results of the military campaign known as Operation Epic Fury.

During the meeting, Trump reportedly told allied leaders that the campaign had eliminated what he described as a major threat, saying he had “got rid of a cancer that was threatening us all.”

Harsh Rhetoric Against Tehran

As the conflict enters its second week, with ongoing exchanges of missiles and drones across the region, Trump also launched a sharp verbal attack on Iran’s leadership.

The U.S. president accused Tehran’s leadership of supporting terrorism and said Washington’s objective was to dismantle what he called the “terrorist regime” in Iran through continued military operations.

The escalating rhetoric and the announcement of a bounty on Iran’s top leader highlight the deepening confrontation between Washington and Tehran, raising fears of a wider regional war.