US offers reward for intel on Iran's paramilitary force

ANKARA

The U.S. President Donald Trump's administration will start offering a reward of up to $15 million for information that can help disrupt the financial mechanism of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), according to American political newspaper and website, The Hill.

It reported that the U.S. State Department is expected to make the announcement today.

Trump administration designated IRGC as a terrorist entity in April and is now taking its fight to the next level through its Rewards for Justice program.

Any information on the revenue sources of the military unit will be rewarded by Washington, according to The Hill report.

Reward program against IRGC comes right after the U.S. on Wednesday blacklisted a number of companies, vessels and individuals who have allegedly breached U.S. sanctions by working with the IRGC.

According to a statement from the U.S. Treasury Department, a former Iranian oil minister and his son were among the designated individuals.

“Treasury’s action against this sprawling petroleum network makes it explicitly clear that those purchasing Iranian oil are directly supporting Iran’s militants and terrorist arm, the IRGC-Qods Force,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in the statement.