TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday, May 1, 2026, accused the United States of understating the true cost of the ongoing conflict, alleging that official figures released by Washington fall far below the actual financial burden.
In a post on the platform X, Araghchi said the Pentagon was misrepresenting the scale of war spending, claiming total expenditures had already reached US$100 billion.
“Netanyahu’s gamble has directly cost America $100 billion so far, four times what is claimed,” he wrote, as quoted by Anadolu Agency.
Araghchi argued that the indirect costs borne by U.S. citizens are significantly higher.
“Far higher. Monthly bill for each American household is $500 and rising fast,” he said. He also criticized Washington’s policy stance toward Israel, adding, “Israel First always means America Last.”
Previously, a Pentagon official, Jules Hurst, testified before the U.S. Congress on Wednesday that the military campaign, known as Operation Epic Fury, had cost approximately $25 billion.
The conflict began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran. Tehran responded by targeting U.S. allies in the Gulf region and closing the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy shipping route.
Efforts to de-escalate tensions included a ceasefire on April 8 mediated by Pakistan, followed by negotiations in Islamabad on April 11–12.
However, the talks failed to produce an agreement. U.S. President Donald Trump later unilaterally extended the ceasefire indefinitely, reportedly at Pakistan’s request.
Read: Prabowo to Attend ASEAN Summit, Discussing Iran War Response
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