US Offers $10 Million Reward for Iranian Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, and Top IRGC Command

The U.S. Department of State has officially announced a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification or location of senior Iranian military and intelligence officials. The “Rewards for Justice” list is topped by Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, alongside nine other high-ranking members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). This escalation follows the transition of power in Tehran after the death of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the opening strikes of the US-Israeli war on Iran on February 28.

The Rewards List: Decoding the IRGC Hierarchy

The State Department website identifies ten individuals who “command and direct various elements of the IRGC,” a body the U.S. has designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

• The Supreme Leader: Despite being believed to have been injured in the initial February 28 strikes, Mojtaba Khamenei remains the primary target. He released his first official statement on Thursday, though he has not yet made a public appearance.

• Cabinet and Intelligence: The U.S. is seeking information on Security Chief Ali Larijani, Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib, and Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, as well as key officials within the Office of the Supreme Leader.

• Unnamed Command: The list also includes four high-ranking IRGC commanders and the secretary of the defense council, whose identities remain under strategic review.

Defiance in Tehran: Larijani Appears Publicly

The announcement coincides with a visible display of leadership resilience in Tehran, contradicting statements from Washington.

• Public Appearances: Despite U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s assertion that the Iranian leadership was “cowering” in underground bunkers, Ali Larijani was verified by Reuters attending a rally in Tehran on Friday.

• Leadership Solidarity: Larijani appeared alongside President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, signaling a unified front amidst the ongoing military offensive.

The Terrorism Allegation and Retaliatory Logic

Washington maintains that the IRGC is responsible for orchestrating global terrorism and assassination plots against U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump.

• Retribution for 2020: The U.S. claims these plots are part of a long-standing Iranian effort to avenge the 2020 killing of General Qassem Soleimani.

• Iran’s Rebuttal: The Iranian mission to the UN and state officials have routinely dismissed these allegations as “baseless political attacks” intended to justify illegal pressure campaigns and the current military intervention.

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Strategic Context

The bounty is seen by analysts as a tool for psychological warfare and intelligence gathering as the conflict enters its third week. By targeting the “Shi’ite clerical establishment’s” protectors, Washington is signaling its intent to dismantle the IRGC’s operational and financial infrastructure entirely.