The U.S. State Department said on Thursday that it is offering a reward of up to $15 million for information on the financial activities of an Iranian conglomerate and two of its executives tied to the Islamic Republic’s missile production program.
Beh Joule Pars, which operates a network of companies, “plays an important role in Iranian missile production, helping to procure sensitive material to Iran’s weapons industry,” the State Department said.
Washington sanctioned the conglomerate last year for its role in acquiring sensitive military and aerospace components, laundering funds and supporting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps by sourcing dual-use U.S. and Western technology.
Behrooz Derakhshandeh, technical manager of the business, and Beh Joule Pars, its trade and procurement officer, were added to the reward offer, which includes possible protective relocation for those submitting helpful information.
“This reward offer is part of a broader effort to solicit information leading to the disruption of the financial mechanisms” of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the department said.
The reward is being offered through the State Department’s Rewards For Justice program, which was established in 1984 and has paid out more than $250 million “across the globe who provided information that helped resolve threats to U.S. national security,” the department said.
