American authorities launch fresh manhunt years after ex-Air Force officer disappeared into Iran
Fresh international tension has erupted after the FBI announced a $200,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Monica Witt, a former U.S. Air Force intelligence specialist accused of defecting to Iran and leaking classified national security information.
According to the FBI, Witt allegedly abandoned the United States in 2013 before resurfacing in Iran, where she is believed to have worked with Iranian intelligence operatives. American authorities accused her of exposing sensitive intelligence operations and revealing the identities of covert U.S. personnel, a move officials described as a major betrayal of national security.
The former intelligence officer served in the U.S. Air Force between 1997 and 2008 and later worked as a government contractor with access to classified information. Investigators say she eventually became increasingly critical of U.S. foreign policy before allegedly aligning with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
American security agencies believe Witt may still be operating inside Iran under alternative identities. The FBI said the renewed reward offer reflects growing urgency amid escalating geopolitical tensions involving Tehran and Washington.
The development has reignited conversations around espionage, insider threats and international intelligence warfare, with experts warning that cases involving former operatives remain among the most dangerous security breaches governments face.
The FBI has urged anyone with useful information about Witt’s whereabouts to come forward immediately as efforts intensify to track her down after more than a decade on the run.