U.S. Offers Up to $20 Million for Information on Iran’s Nuclear Program

Overview

• CENTCOM announced on Friday a reward of up to $20 million and possible relocation through the State Department’s Rewards for Justice program for information on Iranian nuclear facilities, equipment or people.
• The solicitation explicitly covers individuals associated with the program, including members of the scientific community, broadening the hunt beyond physical sites to human sources.
• President Donald Trump has said U.S. forces have largely neutralized Iran’s nuclear capacity but still point to one or two suspected sites, with U.S. intelligence naming a location known as Mountain Pickaxe as a focus.
• The announcement follows months of military pressure, including U.S. strikes such as the attack on Qeshm Island, while Qatar-mediated diplomatic talks between the parties continue.
• Officials and analysts say the public recruitment resembles prior U.S. inducement operations, and the move could both encourage insiders to come forward with risky intelligence and raise legal and diplomatic tensions with Tehran.