Iran has announced a cash prize for individuals who capture or kill American troops, with the reward doubling under specific conditions. The announcement by Iranian Army chief Amir Hatami offers 5 billion tomans, equivalent to $30,000 USD, for the capture or slaying of a U.S. service member, according to state media and Agence France-Presse.
Hatami stated that the prize, to be awarded by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Army, will be doubled for "courageous Iranian women" who carry out such actions. Specific details regarding the timing or location of these potential attacks were not provided.
The announcement coincides with escalating concerns over alleged Iranian assassination plots targeting President Donald Trump. Reports emerged last week indicating that the president was covertly moved from the older Air Force One jet to another aircraft due to a specific threat from Iran, as reported by the Department of Justice. This security measure reportedly occurred as Trump departed from the NATO Summit in Turkey.
While President Trump has downplayed the incident, sources have indicated that First Lady Melania Trump is increasingly worried about the president's safety.
The broader context involves ongoing tensions and conflict between the U.S. and Iran, which began approximately six months prior following a joint U.S. and Israeli military action against Iran. Since the conflict's onset in late February, 18 U.S. service members have died. U.S. troops have not been deployed on the ground within Iran, except for a rescue mission in April after an F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet was shot down near the country.
A ceasefire was declared in April, with peace talks initiated in June that are still in the process of being finalized. Despite the ceasefire, skirmishes between American and Iranian forces have occurred around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical and contentious waterway.
In related naval developments, the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been deployed since November, is set to be replaced by the USS George Washington. The USS Abraham Lincoln's return home, initially scheduled for May, has been extended to support operations in the region. Sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln have reportedly experienced harsh conditions leading to suicidal ideation.
The situation is further complicated by disputes over the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump asserted that the strait would soon become U.S. territory after the conflict's resolution, stating, "After we finish defeating Iran... pretty soon, I will be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States. We have control over it. Nobody else. Only us."
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi rejected this claim, asserting that the U.S. has "no authority" over the waterway. Gharibabadi stated on X, "The Strait of Hormuz has been Iranian, is Iranian, and will remain Iranian. This strait will only be closed and opened under Iran's command. The Strait of Hormuz cannot be seized by tweet, nor by aircraft carrier, nor by issuing an order, nor by an election speech."
He added that Iran would continue to "enforce its blockade" of the strait, which previously handled one-fifth of the world's oil supply before hostilities began. Earlier this week, an oil tanker belonging to the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company was struck by an "unknown projectile" in the strait, though no injuries were reported.
The Strait of Hormuz, connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, is currently under shared jurisdiction of Oman and Iran. Trump has consistently maintained that he intends to claim ownership as part of any peace agreement, and the U.S. has previously blockaded the waterway, asserting that passage requires American permission.