The Donald Trump administration is seeking fresh intelligence on Iran’s nuclear facilities, equipment and personnel, raising questions about how much of the country’s nuclear infrastructure survived U.S. military strikes.
US Offers $20 Million Reward for Iran Nuclear Intelligence
The State Department’s Rewards for Justice program is offering up to $20 million, along with possible relocation, for information about Iran’s nuclear program, U.S. Central Command announced Friday on X.
The offer covers intelligence about nuclear facilities, equipment and associated personnel, including members of Iran’s scientific community.
The State Department said Iran’s failure to meet its safeguards obligations to the International Atomic Energy Agency has left the watchdog without a complete picture of the country’s centrifuge production and inventory.
The loss of what the agency calls “continuity of knowledge” has complicated efforts to track Iran’s nuclear activities.
Trump Repeats Claims of Destroying Iran’s Nuclear Program
The reward announcement comes despite President Trump’s repeated assertions that U.S. military strikes effectively eliminated Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
“If we didn’t hit Iran, you wouldn’t have Israel today,” Trump said Friday, arguing that Tehran would have devastated the Middle East if it had acquired nuclear weapons, ABC reported.
However, Trump also suggested that negotiations were progressing, saying that Iran was eager to end the conflict. “We’re dealing with them now. They want to make a deal very badly,” he said.
Trump has also identified one or two remaining targets that Washington needs to address, including Pickaxe Mountain, a suspected nuclear site in central Iran that Tehran denies is a nuclear facility.
Iran Conflict Raises Fears of Renewed Military Action
Tensions remain elevated after Iran said its air defenses intercepted and destroyed an American MQ-9 drone over Qeshm Island early Saturday, the report added.
Meanwhile, Iran’s supreme leader has reportedly instructed the military to update its target list and respond to any fresh attack without geographical restrictions.
Diplomatic efforts are continuing, with Qatar presenting proposals to bridge differences over Tehran’s nuclear program. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has also supported resolving the crisis through dialogue.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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