State Department offers $20M reward for Iran nuclear secrets despite Trump's claims of destruction
WASHINGTON, DC: On Friday night, the US State Department offered a reward of up to $20 million for information about Iran's nuclear program. Anyone who steps forward could also receive help relocating. The announcement, part of the department's Rewards for Justice program, appeared on flyers in Arabic and English.
The move came as President Donald Trump continued insisting that US strikes had wiped out Iran's nuclear capabilities. Both the State Department and the White House remained silent when asked for comment by Mediaite. The notice itself did not explain why the department wanted the information or what it planned to do with it.
State Department offers $20 million reward for Iran nuclear program information
Under the Rewards for Justice program, the State Department offered not just the substantial reward but also "possible relocation" to anyone who could share information about Iran's nuclear activities.
The department's notice stated:
"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."
The notice also cited the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) findings about Iran's uranium enrichment activities.
"In 2025, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that Iran is enriching uranium to 60 percent purity, a level that is a short technical step from the 90 percent required for a nuclear weapon. Iran is the only non-nuclear-weapon state to produce uranium at such a high enrichment level. Experts estimate this quantity, if enriched further, could be enough for several nuclear weapons."
It also highlighted concerns about Iran's cooperation with international nuclear inspectors.
"The regime’s lack of compliance with the IAEA on safeguards obligations has led to the agency’s loss of “continuity of knowledge” regarding Iran’s production and inventory of key components like centrifuges."
Trump maintains US strikes destroyed Iran's nuclear capabilities
Trump has repeatedly insisted that the US has crippled Iran's nuclear and military capabilities, a claim he has made at rallies and other public events.
In June 2025, the US bombed Iran's Natanz and Fordow enrichment sites. Trump described the strikes as a major blow to Tehran's nuclear ambitions.
"Obliteration is an accurate term!" he posted on Truth Social.
Following this week's midterm elections, Trump doubled down on his claims, assuring supporters that the US had prevented Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
"We stopped them from having a nuclear weapon, and they will never have a nuclear weapon," Trump said on Wednesday.
However, independent watchdogs have presented a more cautious picture of Iran's nuclear activities. In 2025, the IAEA reported that Iran was enriching uranium to 60 percent purity, approaching the 90 percent level required for weapons-grade uranium.
Iran remained the only non-nuclear-weapon state producing uranium at such a high enrichment level. Experts estimated that the country's stockpile, if enriched further, could provide enough material for several nuclear weapons.
The agency also highlighted Iran's ongoing safeguards issues. Due to gaps in cooperation, inspectors lost "continuity of knowledge" about Iran's nuclear activities, including the production and inventory of key components such as centrifuges.
As a result, inspectors faced difficulties determining how much nuclear material Iran had produced and where crucial equipment was located. The State Department's latest reward offer sought information that could help address some of those gaps, even as Trump continued to maintain that US strikes had destroyed Iran's nuclear capabilities.
