Iran’s Army Chief Major General Amir Hatami has warned the United States against any attempt to “annex” the Strait of Hormuz, saying Iranian forces remain prepared to respond to hostile actions and protect the country’s interests.
His comments came as senior Iranian officials described the recent conflict with the United States as both a military and diplomatic success for Tehran. Parliament Speaker and senior negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf called the outcome a “true victory” and described the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding as evidence of Iran’s diplomatic gains.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also released footage showing the reported downing of a US MQ-1C drone on May 31 using an advanced air-defence system. An IRGC official claimed that more than 85 per cent of Iran’s air-defence production capacity remained intact during the conflict and that missile and air-defence production had not fallen below pre-war levels despite attacks on military infrastructure.
Bounty announced for US soldiers
Iran’s military has also announced a $30,000 reward for anyone who kills or captures a US soldier and hands them over to Iranian authorities. General Hatami said the reward would be doubled if the act were carried out by a woman.
According to Iranian officials, the plan was introduced following numerous requests from people wanting to participate. There has been no known deployment of US ground troops inside Iran during the conflict, apart from an earlier rescue mission involving a downed American airman.
Hatami also reiterated Tehran’s demand for US forces to leave the region, saying they no longer had permission to enter the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman or Strait of Hormuz.
Iran-Qatar dispute over missing pilots
Separately, Iran has accused Qatar of delaying efforts to determine the fate of three Iranian pilots whom Tehran says were captured during the conflict. Qatar has denied detaining them.
Iran previously said one pilot was killed and others went missing following a mission to Qatar in March. Iranian military officials now say they have been waiting for months to send a team to Qatar to conduct an investigation.
General Mohammad Bagherzadeh urged Doha to allow the Iranian team to enter the country, saying continued delays were preventing the pilots’ return to Iran.
