US offers $10 million reward for information on Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei

The US State Department on Friday announced a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification or location of Iran's key leaders, including Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. The announcement, released by the department's Rewards for Justice program, said the targeted individuals "command and direct various elements" of the IRGC, which Washington accuses of planning and carrying out attacks around the world.

Targeted leaders

Among those listed in the notice are Khamenei, Ali Asghar Hejazi, deputy chief of staff in the office of the supreme leader, and Yahya Rahim Safavi, a senior military adviser to the supreme leader. The reward program, typically used for terrorism-related intelligence, reflects the intensity of the US campaign against Iran's leadership since the war began.

Hegseth's claims

Earlier in the day, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claimed that Iran's newly appointed supreme leader is "wounded" and "likely disfigured" as the US and Israel continue attacking the country. The statement follows Iranian Foreign Ministry confirmation earlier this week that Mojtaba Khamenei was injured but "well" in the ongoing strikes.

Conflict context

Tensions across the Middle East have flared up since Israel and the US launched a joint attack on Iran on Feb. 28, killing around 1,300 people according to Iranian authorities, including former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, resulting in casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure while affecting global markets and aviation.