Iran offers US$30,000 bounty for killing, capturing US soldiers

 The announcement comes despite no known deployment of US ground forces in Iran during the Middle East war.

Iranian army chief Amir Hatami did not provide any details on where or when the killing or capturing of US soldiers was expected to take place when he announced the bounty. (Iranian Army/AFP pic)

TEHRAN:

Iran’s military announced on Sunday that it was offering a bounty equivalent to US$30,000 for killing or capturing US soldiers, with the reward doubled if carried out by a woman.

Army chief Amir Hatami said the plan had been drawn up following “the large number of requests” to participate in the financial support, according to the IRNA state news agency.

There has been no known deployment of US ground forces in Iran during the Middle East war, with the exception of a rescue mission in April for a downed American pilot.

Hatami did not provide any details on where or when the killing or capturing of US soldiers was expected to take place.

“Anyone who kills or captures and hands over an invading American military personnel will receive a reward equivalent to US$30,000 or 5 billion tomans from the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Army,” Hatami said, using an informal unit equivalent to 10,000 Iranian rials.

The war between Tehran and Washington began on Feb 28 after the US, joined by Israel, attacked Iran. It was followed by an April ceasefire after nearly 40 days of fighting, and a June framework for peace talks that later collapsed.

Iran and the US have since traded fire sporadically, with fighting mainly centred in southern Iran and around the Strait of Hormuz. - FMT