Washington Puts Price on Intel for Iran's Nuclear Sites
The US State Department is offering up to $20 million for leads on Tehran's enrichment capabilities, even as President Trump claims the program was destroyed.
By Lorenzo Evans ·
The United States Department of State announced a reward program offering up to $20 million for information regarding Iran's nuclear program. The Rewards for Justice initiative, launched via a social media post on Friday, seeks tips on nuclear facilities, equipment, and associated personnel. The program stated that relocation may be offered to informants who provide actionable intelligence.
This financial incentive stands in contrast to the public assertions of President Donald Trump. During the 12-day conflict last year, the President declared that Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities had been completely and totally obliterated. He maintained this assessment in subsequent remarks, attacking media organizations that challenged his characterization of the strikes.
Military engagements this year have reinforced the debate over the program's current status. The United States and Israel attacked Iranian nuclear sites again, and President Trump told reporters on Friday that if the US had not hit Iran, the country of Israel would not exist today. He added that the US might have to target the Pickaxe Mountain site, an underground facility where Israel believes Tehran stores part of its enriched uranium stockpile and advanced centrifuges.
Independent assessments and State Department documents suggest that concerns persist despite these claims. The International Atomic Energy Agency reported last year that Iran was enriching uranium to 60 percent purity. A Rewards for Justice statement noted that this level is a short technical step from the 90 percent required for a nuclear weapon. The statement added that Iran is the only non-nuclear-weapon state to produce uranium at such a high enrichment level, with experts estimating the quantity could be enough for several weapons if further enriched.
The program also cited a loss of continuity in knowledge regarding Iran's production and inventory of key components like centrifuges. This gap in data is attributed to the regime's lack of compliance with the IAEA. Preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon has been stated as a key objective for Washington's war with Iran since February.
Tehran has responded to the US focus on its nuclear sites by warning that any attack would be treated as an expansion of the war in the region. The Iranian government maintains its right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, including enrichment. Mediators are continuing to broker an agreement, but both sides appear unwilling to shift on key red lines, with Tehran viewing the ability to enrich uranium as a matter of national sovereignty.
New military actions occurred overnight into Saturday. President Trump ordered new strikes on Iran, describing them as minor. Reuters reported that explosions were heard on Qeshm Island and in the southern Iranian port of Jask, citing Iranian media. Iran has not officially confirmed the source of the reported explosions.
Earlier on Saturday, the semi-official Tasnim news agency said two missiles had struck Qeshm Island, with no official information on potential damage. Later that evening, Tasnim cited an Iranian source as saying that the explosions heard on the island were not related to missile strikes. In a separate development, the US Central Command launched a task force with the intention of preventing Iran from accessing land routes that might facilitate the transportation of advanced weapons. A naval blockade is already in place as part of US efforts to choke off Iran's vital oil industry.
