Iran announces sick prize for anyone that captures US soldier
Iran’s Army Commander-in-Chief has announced a huge financial reward to anyone who kills or captures a US soldier in a chilling announcement.
Major General Amir Hatami decided on the 'prize' as he declared that that the era of an American military presence in the Persian Gulf is permanently over.
Hatami publicly revealed the new initiative backed by public crowdfunding campaigns when speaking at a ceremony marking National Journalist Day on Sunday (16 August).
He said that five billion tomans ($30,000 USD or £120,000) will be rewarded to anyone who kills or captures a US troop.
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The financial reward, coming from the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Army, will be doubled for 'courageous Iranian women' who complete the task, Hatami then explained.
The army chief said the plan had been drawn up following 'the large number of requests' to participate in the financial support, according to the IRNA state news agency.
However, he did not say where or when the killing or capturing of US soldiers was expected to take place.
“Anyone who kills or captures and hands over an invading American military personnel will receive a reward equivalent to $30,000 or 5 billion tomans from the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Army,” Hatami said.
“Courageous Iranian women who carry out such an action will receive double the reward."
The war between Tehran and Washington first began on 28 February after the United States and Isreal launched the attacks on Iran. There was an April ceasefire after nearly 40 days of fighting, before the conflict continued.
So far, a total of 18 US service members have died. Their troops have not been deployed to the ground in Iran except for when a fighter jet was shot down, sparking a rescue mission.
The latest comes after it was reported that Trump's war against Iran is now stretching the limits of US aircraft carriers and leaving the western Pacific without one of the key American warships.
The USS George Washington is departing the Pacific and expected to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East amid growing concerns about mental health and supply issues aboard the long-deployed carrier.
Last week it emerged that the US president had been smuggled off the Air Force One aircraft in a covert food cart following 'threats from Iran'. The ruse took place while Trump departed from the NATO Summit in Turkey.
Iranian and Omani negotiators say they have finalised the draft deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and are awaiting a final approval from Iran’s supreme leader.
The officials, who were briefed on the negotiations, portrayed the potential deal as a temporary solution to the US-Iranian dispute over vessels’ transit through the vital waterway.
They said it is tied to the agreement reached between the US and Iran in June that aimed at ending the fighting and reopening the strait, but which ultimately collapsed.
The officials said the potential deal will pave the way for the US and Iran to resume negotiations to reach a final deal on Tehran’s nuclear programme.
Topics: Army, US News, World News, Donald Trump
James Holt