U.S. Bounty of Up to $10 Million Issued for Iran’s IRGC Cyber Leader Amir Yaryab

The U.S. State Department’s Rewards for Justice program announced a new bounty of up to $10 million for information that leads to the identification or location of Amir Yaryab, a senior figure in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Cyber‑Electronic Command.

Yaryab is believed to oversee a network of hackers linked to state‑sponsored cyber operations that have targeted U.S. government agencies, critical infrastructure, and private sector firms. The reward follows a series of high‑profile attacks attributed to the IRGC, including ransomware campaigns and espionage efforts that have disrupted services and exposed sensitive data.

The Rewards for Justice initiative, created after the September 11 attacks, offers financial incentives for tips that help thwart terrorism and related threats. While the program has traditionally focused on violent extremist groups, it has broadened its scope to include cyber‑enabled actors whose activities are deemed a national security concern.

U.S. officials have repeatedly warned that Iran’s cyber capabilities pose a growing danger to both public and private sectors. Recent indictments have identified IRGC affiliates for hacking into aerospace contractors, energy firms, and even election‑related infrastructure. By placing a substantial bounty on Yaryab, Washington aims to pressure the IRGC’s cyber wing and potentially disrupt its command structure.

The announcement arrives amid heightened diplomatic tension between the United States and Tehran over a range of issues, from nuclear negotiations to regional conflicts. Analysts suggest that targeting individual cyber commanders may be part of a broader strategy to impose costs on Iran’s illicit cyber operations without escalating kinetic conflict.

U.S. authorities have not disclosed the specific mechanisms for submitting tips, but the Rewards for Justice website typically provides secure channels for anonymous reporting. If successful, the bounty could lead to Yaryab’s apprehension, extradition, or at least a significant setback to the IRGC’s cyber campaigns, underscoring the increasing intersection of cyber‑security and international law enforcement.