US announces $20 million bounty, offers possible relocation for details on Iran's nuclear sites, scientists

The United States has announced a reward of up to $20 million for information about Iran's nuclear programme, including its facilities, equipment and personnel. The offer also includes possible relocation for those providing useful information, as Washington continues diplomatic efforts to end the more than eight-month-old war.

US Central Command (Centcom) announced the offer on Friday in a post on X, saying the State Department's Rewards for Justice programme was seeking details about Iran's nuclear activities, scientists and the movement of related equipment and personnel.

"Rewards for Justice is offering a reward of up to $20 million and possible relocation for information about Iran’s nuclear program, including its facilities, equipment, and associated personnel, such as those in the scientific community, or the movement of any of the above," Centcom said.

Established in 1984, the programme offers financial incentives to people who provide information that could help protect American lives and national security interests.

The State Department said Iran's failure to meet its safeguards obligations under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had affected the agency's ability to monitor the country's nuclear programme.

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According to the department, this had resulted in a loss of "continuity of knowledge" about Iran's production and stockpile of key nuclear components, including centrifuges.

However, Washington has not specified what information would qualify for the maximum reward of $20 million.

Trump claims Iran wants to reach a deal

The announcement came as US President Donald Trump said Iran was keen to negotiate an agreement to end the conflict. He also defended the US military campaign, claiming that American strikes had severely damaged Iran's military and economy.

"We're dealing with them now. They want to make a deal very badly," Trump said on Friday night in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Defending the strikes, he said they had prevented Iran from posing a nuclear threat to Israel and other countries in the region.

"If we didn't hit Iran, you wouldn't have Israel today. If they had nuclear weapons, they would have used them. They would have obliterated the Middle East," Trump said.

Trump has repeatedly maintained that US forces have effectively destroyed Iran's nuclear programme. Earlier this week, he said one or two targets still needed to be dealt with, including Pickaxe Mountain in central Iran. The location is suspected of being a nuclear site, although Tehran denies that it houses a nuclear facility.

Meanwhile, mediators are continuing diplomatic efforts to prevent a fresh outbreak of fighting. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said earlier this week that his government was still seeking to resolve the crisis through dialogue.