Iran Accuses Pentagon of Manipulating War Cost Figures

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, has accused the United States Department of Defense, or the Pentagon, of manipulating the cost of the U.S. war in the conflict with Iran. The statement was made on Friday, May 1, 2026, amid discrepancies between U.S. official claims and estimates from other parties.

Araghchi mentioned that the official Pentagon figures were much lower than reality. In a post on social media platform X, he wrote, "The Pentagon is lying. Netanyahu's gamble has directly cost America $100b so far, four times what is claimed."

Araghchi also highlighted the indirect burden borne by the American people. "Indirect costs for U.S. taxpayers are FAR higher. Monthly bill for each American household is $500 and rising fast. Israel First always means America Last," he wrote.

Discrepancies in Figures and Military Burden

On the other hand, Pentagon officials presented lower figures. In testimony before the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, Acting Pentagon Chief Financial Officer Jules Hurst III mentioned that the military operation had cost about US$25 billion. He stated that most of the expenditure was used for ammunition.

According to a report by The Hill, the use of ammunition in the conflict included a large number of Tomahawk missiles and Patriot defense systems, which also drained the Pentagon's reserves. However, some members of Congress expressed doubt over this estimate.

Senator Angus King of Maine said he had heard estimates reaching approximately US$50 billion. According to him, the figure was based on expenditures of "billion dollars a day" for over 60 days since February 28, 2026. King questioned the basis of the Pentagon's calculation.

"I’m going to try to make some inquiry into what they based their estimate on, because $25 billion is considerably below all the other estimates I’ve been seeing for the past two months," he said.

War Time Limit and Political Pressure

This conflict has entered its 60th day since President Donald Trump's administration informed Congress on March 2, 2026. Under the War Powers Act of 1973, the president only has 60 days to deploy troops without congressional approval, with an option for a 30-day extension. However, concerns have arisen among bipartisan legislators.

Efforts to pass a war authorization restriction resolution have failed six times. Several Republican senators, including Susan Collins and Rand Paul, joined the majority of Democrats in supporting the latest resolution, which was ultimately blocked in the Senate.

House Majority Leader Mike Johnson said the United States is "not at war" with Iran, referring to the ceasefire and ongoing efforts for peaceful negotiations.

Previously, according to a report by Anadolu, U.S. and Israeli military attacks on Iran began on February 28, 2026, triggering retaliatory strikes from Tehran on U.S. allies in the Gulf and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. A ceasefire was announced on April 8, 2026, through Pakistan's mediation, followed by negotiations in Islamabad on April 11–12, though no agreement has yet been reached.

Read: Poll: 61% of Americans Say War with Iran Was a Mistake

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