The United States has announced a reward of up to $10 million, which is about ₹92.6 crore, for information about several senior Iranian military and intelligence officials. The reward particularly targets Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, along with other key figures connected to the country’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. According to details published on the US State Department’s official website, the reward covers a group of ten officials believed to be involved in directing activities linked to the IRGC.

The announcement comes at a time of intense tension following a series of military attacks involving the United States and Israel. Mojtaba Khamenei recently became Iran’s Supreme Leader after his father, Ali Khamenei, was killed in joint US and Israeli strikes that began on February 28. The attacks reportedly led to the deaths of several high-ranking Iranian officials, along with the elder Khamenei. After the incident, Mojtaba Khamenei stepped into the leadership role, although reports suggest he was injured during the strikes.

Since the attacks, the new Iranian leader has not appeared publicly. However, he issued his first statement earlier this week. The message was not delivered in person but was instead read by a television presenter. In the statement, Khamenei declared that Iran would continue its hardline stance against its adversaries. He warned that the Strait of Hormuz could remain closed and also urged neighbouring countries to shut down US military bases operating on their territories, suggesting that such facilities could otherwise become targets for Iranian retaliation.

The US government’s reward list also includes several other influential Iranian officials. Among them are Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani, Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib, and Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni. Two additional officials who work closely within the Supreme Leader’s office are also part of the list. Washington believes these individuals play important roles in shaping and directing the activities of Iran’s security structure and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Ali Larijani was recently seen in public despite growing speculation about the condition of Iran’s leadership. Verified video footage showed him attending a rally in Tehran alongside President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi. His appearance at the event came shortly after US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth suggested that Iran’s top leaders were hiding underground due to ongoing military pressure. The public sighting of Larijani appeared to counter that claim, at least partially, by showing a senior official participating in a political gathering in the capital.

The US State Department’s reward program also mentions four other officials connected to Iran’s defence structure, including the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the secretary of the country’s defence council. However, their names and photographs have not been made public on the reward website. American authorities say these officials are believed to lead and manage different parts of the IRGC, an organisation that Washington accuses of planning and carrying out terrorist activities in various parts of the world.

Questions about Mojtaba Khamenei’s condition have continued to grow in recent days. U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the new Iranian leader was injured during the recent attacks and may even have suffered serious physical damage. He also raised doubts about whether Khamenei is capable of effectively governing the country in his current state. According to Hegseth, the absence of video or audio messages from the leader has raised suspicions about the severity of his injuries.

Hegseth suggested that if Khamenei were fully capable of addressing the public, Iran would have released video footage or a recorded speech instead of a written statement. He also claimed that the young leader appeared to be operating from a hidden location following the attacks that killed several members of his family, including his father and wife.

Iranian officials, however, have rejected claims that their leader is unable to function. Iranian authorities have acknowledged that Mojtaba Khamenei was injured during the conflict but insist that the wounds were not severe. According to an Iranian official who spoke to Reuters earlier this week, the injuries were relatively minor.

Iran’s ambassador to Japan, Peyman Saadat, also addressed the issue in a television interview. He explained that Khamenei was hurt during the same attack that killed the previous Supreme Leader, but emphasised that the injuries have not affected his ability to lead the country. Saadat said that despite being wounded during the war, the new Supreme Leader remains capable of performing his duties, which is why Iran’s leadership chose him for the position.

The situation surrounding Iran’s leadership continues to draw global attention as tensions between Iran, the United States, and Israel remain high. With the US offering a large financial reward for information about senior Iranian officials, the development adds another layer to an already complex and escalating geopolitical conflict.