By SUNTV Global Channel
August 16, 2026 | International
Iran’s Army Chief, Major General Amir Hatami, has reportedly announced a $30,000 reward for any Iranian who kills or captures a US military personnel, amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington.
Hatami made the declaration in Tehran on Sunday during an event marking Journalists’ Day, according to reports.
He said a funding arrangement involving Iranian citizens had been established to support the reward scheme, with the Iranian Army guaranteeing the payment.
According to the army chief, anyone who successfully kills or captures and hands over an “aggressor American force” would receive a reward equivalent to $30,000, or about five billion tomans.
Hatami further stated that Iranian women who carry out such an act would receive double the reward.
The military chief also announced another incentive involving weapons allegedly used in an attack against US personnel. He said Iranian authorities would buy back such weapons at twice their original value and replace them with new ones.
Hatami issued a stern warning to the United States, saying Washington should not underestimate Iran or its response to any further military action.
Iran Issues Fresh Warning Over Strait of Hormuz
The Iranian army chief also warned that the strategically important Strait of Hormuz would remain a major point of leverage for Tehran.
Hatami described the waterway as a vital geopolitical asset and said Iran would not allow it to return to what he described as its previous status.
He further declared that US forces would no longer be permitted to operate in the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman or the Strait of Hormuz.
According to him, the expulsion of US forces had already been achieved and Iran would not permit American military bases to return to their former positions.
Hatami also criticised US President Donald Trump over previous remarks concerning the Strait of Hormuz, warning that any attempt to alter the status of the strategic waterway would face resistance from Iran.
The latest statements come amid heightened tensions between Iran and the United States, with the strategic Strait of Hormuz remaining a major focus of the confrontation because of its importance to global energy supplies.
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