The offer targets 10 officials associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a powerful military force created after the Iranian Revolution and tasked with safeguarding Iran’s clerical political system. The State Department said the individuals command or direct elements of the IRGC that it accuses of planning and executing attacks abroad.

Mojtaba Khamenei assumed Iran’s highest political and religious office after his father, Ali Khamenei, was killed along with several senior Iranian officials in joint U.S. and Israeli strikes that began on Feb. 28.

The younger Khamenei is believed to have been wounded in the attacks and has not appeared publicly since the start of the conflict, though he issued his first statement on Thursday.

In addition to the supreme leader, the reward notice seeks information about Iran’s national security chief Ali Larijani, Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib, Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni and two officials from Khamenei’s office.

Larijani appeared on Friday in video footage verified by Reuters alongside Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi during a rally in Tehran.

The appearance came despite comments by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth suggesting that Iran’s leadership was hiding underground amid ongoing military strikes.

The State Department website also lists four additional officials connected to the IRGC, including the corps’ commander and the secretary of Iran’s defense council, though their names and images were not provided.

Washington has designated the IRGC as a foreign terrorist organization and accuses it of orchestrating attacks that have killed U.S. citizens. U.S. officials have also alleged that Iran planned assassination attempts against U.S. President Donald Trump and other American officials in retaliation for the killing of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani in 2020.

Iran denies supporting terrorism and has repeatedly rejected U.S. accusations as politically motivated efforts to justify sanctions and pressure campaigns.Officials from the Revolutionary Guards were not immediately available for comment on Friday, Iran’s weekly day of rest.

Iran’s mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The dispute has exposed cracks within the Islamic Republic’s leadership following the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei a week ago, a development that has removed a central authority who for decades suppressed factional rivalries within the system.Sources close to Iran’s leadership, speaking from inside the country on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, told Reuters that tensions among senior officials have intensified as the war escalates and key figures have been killed in U.S. and Israeli strikes.The conflict has placed unprecedented pressure on the country’s governing institutions, with military, political and clerical leaders struggling to coordinate responses while maintaining internal cohesion.Backlash over Pezeshkian remarks.The divisions became more visible after Pezeshkian said Iran would suspend attacks on neighbouring states unless strikes against Iran originated from their territory.The remarks were intended to reduce tensions with Gulf governments following Iranian attacks on facilities linked to U.S. forces in the region. However, they triggered a rapid backlash from hardline factions inside Iran who viewed the statement as a concession at a time of military confrontation.Officials close to the leadership said the controversy highlighted deeper disagreements within the ruling hierarchy over how to conduct the war and manage relations with regional states.While pragmatic figures have signalled an interest in reducing regional escalation, hardliners have argued for a more aggressive response to the U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iranian targets.Revolutionary Guards expand influence

As the conflict intensifies, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards are playing a growing role in shaping military and strategic decisions, according to people familiar with the leadership dynamics.The Guards, one of the most powerful institutions within the Islamic Republic, have moved to assert greater influence despite suffering heavy losses from targeted strikes that killed several senior commanders.The decapitation campaign against Iranian military leaders has added strain to the country’s command structure while reinforcing the Guards’ determination to maintain operational control.Sources said the combination of battlefield pressure and leadership losses has contributed to heightened tensions among the country’s remaining senior officials.Push to name new supreme leaderAmid the uncertainty, Iran’s clerical establishment is accelerating efforts to appoint a new supreme leader to replace Khamenei.According to sources familiar with the process, a decision on the succession could come as early as Sunday, although it remains unclear whether a new leader will command sufficient authority to contain factional disputes.

Mojtaba Khamenei, the late leader’s son, is widely seen as a leading candidate. He is believed to have backing from the Revolutionary Guards and influential figures within his father’s office.However, his potential elevation has faced resistance from moderates within the political establishment. Critics argue that he lacks the seniority of more experienced ayatollahs and remains largely untested in Iran’s complex political hierarchy.The debate over succession underscores the broader challenges confronting Iran’s leadership as it navigates a war that officials describe as an existential threat to the Islamic Republic.

In a prerecorded address broadcast on Iranian state television, Pezeshkian said the strikes that targeted regional countries were the result of a miscommunication within military ranks. His remarks followed reports of repeated attacks earlier on Saturday against Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates amid the expanding regional conflict.

Apology to neighboring states,Pezeshkian said Iran did not intend to escalate tensions with its neighbors and expressed regret over the attacks. He said Tehran would halt such strikes unless an attack against Iran originated from those countries.The statement appeared aimed at easing tensions with Gulf states that host military installations linked to the United States and have reported missile and drone incidents during the escalating hostilities.Comments on US demandsIn the same address, Pezeshkian rejected calls from the United States for Iran to surrender unconditionally, dismissing the demand as unrealistic.His remarks came after U.S. President Donald Trump publicly stated that Washington would accept nothing less than Iran’s “unconditional surrender” as the conflict intensifies.Regional tensions persist .

The apology followed a series of attacks reported across the Gulf earlier on Saturday as the confrontation between Iran, Israel and the United States widened across the region.Iranian state media aired Pezeshkian’s remarks as governments across the Middle East continued to monitor security conditions following missile and drone incidents affecting several Gulf states.