Washington Rewards: $20 million for Iran nuclear intel, new sanctions on digital firms
The US Treasury and State Department moved to tighten financial nooses around Tehran while offering bounties for details on its atomic infrastructure.
By Aiko Brooks ·
The United States government is offering a bounty of up to $20 million for information on Iran's nuclear program, a move that coincides with new sanctions on digital asset firms. The State Department announced the reward Friday through its Rewards for Justice program. Officials seek details regarding facilities, equipment, and personnel linked to the atomic effort.
The program accepts tips via Signal, Telegram, and Tor Browser in multiple languages. To ensure safety, the department keeps sources strictly confidential and may provide relocation assistance for informants and their families on a case-by-case basis. Rewards for Justice has paid out more than $250 million to over 125 individuals since 1984 for information that protected US national security.
Current bounties under the program range from less than $1 million to $25 million. These funds target terrorism, foreign election interference, malicious cyber activity, and North Korea's financial mechanisms. The new offer for nuclear intelligence sits within this existing financial structure.
On the same day, the US and Canada issued sanctions against eight digital asset service providers. The firms help the Iranian regime use digital assets to evade restrictions and fund terrorism. The measures cut these companies off from the dollar-based financial system. They block any assets the firms hold in the United States and prohibit transactions with US persons or entities.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that his department will pursue and disrupt Iranian financial channels globally. The sanctions aim to close loopholes that allow Tehran to move money through non-traditional banking systems. The dual approach combines direct financial pressure with a cash incentive for insider information.
