US offers $15m reward for information on IRGC's financial networks

The US State Department has offered up to $15 million for information on the financial networks of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

It follows a weapons raid earlier this month on a fishing boat bound for Yemen in the Gulf of Oman, in which the US Navy seized 2,116 rifles.

Washington said the weapons were destined for the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen.

“How can Iran buy all these weapons and ship them to Yemen?,” the State Department’s Rewards for Justice programme said in reply to a US Central Command tweet including two photos from the January 10 raid.

“Was the shipment from the IRGC meant for the Houthis? We're offering a reward of up to $15 million for information on the IRGC's financial networks.”

More than 50 tonnes of ammunition, fuses and propellants for rockets were confiscated on December 1. More than 70 tonnes of ammonium perchlorate, a compound commonly used to make rocket and missile fuel, as well as 100 tonnes of urea fertiliser, were taken on November 8.

The Rewards for Justice programme was created by the US government in 1982 to fight international terrorism.

The UN has expressed hope for peace talks in Yemen, while cautioning that negotiations must be more “inclusive” after a series of faltering ceasefires this year.

Yemen’s eight-year conflict saw its first ceasefire in April between the internationally-recognised government and Iran-backed Houthi militias. The government accused the militias of violating the truce on several occasions.

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Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com