United News of Bangladesh

The United States has announced a reward of up to $10 million (around Rs 92.47 crore) for information on Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, and several senior officials linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the US State Department said Friday. The offer was made public through the department’s Rewards for Justice programme, managed by the Diplomatic Security Service. According to the programme, the targeted individuals “command and direct various elements of Iran’s IRGC, which plans, organises, and executes terrorism worldwide.” Those with relevant information can submit tips via the Tor-based tipline or Signal and may be eligible for relocation and monetary reward. Other officials named include Ali Asghar Hejazi, deputy chief of staff of the Supreme Leader’s office, and Iran’s security chief, Ali Larijani. Some entries were shown as silhouettes due to unavailable photographs. The announcement comes as the US and Israel continue airstrikes against Iran, now in the third week. US President Donald Trump said Friday that American forces would strike Iranian targets “very hard” in the coming days, signaling an escalation of the campaign. The offensive, launched on February 28, killed former supreme leader Ali Khamenei and sparked a widening regional conflict, disrupting global energy markets and prompting missile and drone attacks across the Gulf. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said over 15,000 targets have been hit since the air campaign began, with Friday expected to see the highest number of strikes so far. Hegseth claimed Iran’s missile launchers and drones were being neutralized, reducing their offensive capability, and reported that Mojtaba Khamenei had been wounded in the February 28 attack. The ongoing conflict has caused instability in energy markets, as Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for about a fifth of the world’s traded oil. Oil prices surged past $100 per barrel earlier this week, while stock markets reacted to fears of prolonged disruption. Iranian authorities have warned that attacks on the country could escalate tensions further and pledged to maintain pressure on shipping through the strategic waterway. Source: NDTV