US offers $29m reward for details on Iran's nuclear program

The United States is offering a $US20 million ($29 million) reward "and possible relocation" for information about Iran's nuclear program, the US military says, despite President Donald Trump's repeated claims that it has been obliterated.A State Department program, Rewards for Justice, "is offering a reward of up to $20 million and possible relocation for information about Iran's nuclear program", US Central Command said in a statement on X.This includes "its facilities, equipment, and associated personnel, such as those in the scientific community," it added in the post that appeared on the social media platform on Friday evening, local time.US Centcom offers its $US20 million reward on X. (X: US Central Command)The program was established in 1984 under the State Department's national security rewards program to offer money for information that protects American lives and interests.In its statement about the reward, the State Department said Iran's "lack of compliance with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) on safeguards obligations" has led to the agency's loss of 'continuity of knowledge' regarding Iran's production and inventory of key components such as centrifuges.It gave no specific parameters on what information would yield the reward.Mr Trump has repeatedly said US forces had effectively obliterated Iran's nuclear program.Donald Trump speaks to the media on the South Lawn of the White House on Friday. (AP: Mark Schiefelbein)"If we didn't hit Iran, you wouldn't have Israel today," Mr Trump said on Friday night."If they had nuclear, they would have used nuclear. They would have obliterated the Middle East."But the president also said Iran — which he stressed has had its economy and military severely damaged over eight months of war — was eager to end the conflict."We're dealing with them now. They want to make a deal very badly," he said.It was the 38th time Mr Trump has insisted that Iran wanted to resolve matters since the conflict began on February 28.Diplomatic efforts by mediators have been in full swing in an attempt to prevent any resumption of fighting.The Pickaxe Mountain site has emerged as a potential new target for US strikes. (Supplied: Vantor)And on Tuesday, Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian said his government was still trying to resolve the crisis through dialogue.Earlier this week, Mr Trump said he still had to "take care" of one or two targets, including so-called Pickaxe Mountain in central Iran, a suspected nuclear site, which Tehran denies is such a facility.The news came after Iran's air defence force intercepted and destroyed an American MQ-9 drone over Qeshm Island in the early hours of Saturday morning, according to an army statement reported by state broadcaster IRIB.The announcement followed reports from Iranian local media that two missiles had struck the island in the Strait of Hormuz.Ebrahim Azizi took to X to warn the US about missteps in the Iran war. (X: Ebrahim Azizi)Meanwhile, conservative Iranian politician Ebrahim Azizi, head of the nation's parliamentary National Security Committee, took to X to warn that the US and Israel would "pay a price" for the ongoing conflict."We won't let Trump walk away from the region without paying a price and reparations," Mr Azizi wrote in a post on X."Every mistake will be met with a decisive response until we liberate America's largest military base, the Zionist regime, once and for all."Mr Azizi made the remarks as Iran's supreme leader has ordered the military to update its target bank and respond to any new attack "without geographical limitations".Iran is reportedly reviewing proposals presented by chief mediator Qatar aimed at addressing differences with the US about Tehran's nuclear program.The development is raising hopes that the two sides could be inching towards indirect talks on one of the thorniest issues. Mr Trump says this nuclear program issue must be resolved as part of any deal to end the more than eight-month-old war.Mr Trump on Friday discussed efforts to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East in a telephone call with Qatar's emir, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, the Gulf state leader's office said on Friday.The region remained on edge over the possibility of renewed US military action against Iran in the wake of the Republican Party's drubbing in Tuesday's midterm elections as Mr Trump looked to reassert his authority.Qatar says the US and Iran should not wait for a "perfect moment" to reach a deal to end the war.Wires/ABC