In a post on his X account on Thursday, Araqchi argued that the ongoing US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran is not only a war imposed on Iranians but also a costly "war of choice" for Americans.
“We're only three weeks into this war of choice, imposed on both Iranians and Americans,” the Iranian foreign minister said.
“This $200b is the tip of the iceberg. Ordinary Americans can thank Benjamin Netanyahu and his lackeys in Congress for the trillion-dollar ‘Israel First tax’ that's about to hit US economy,” Araqchi stated.
Araqchi also cited an exclusive report by The Washington Post about a recent Pentagon budget request exceeding $200 billion, intended for military operations concerning Iran.
In its report titled “Pentagon seeks more than $200 billion in budget request for Iran war”, The Washington Post said, “Some White House officials do not think the Defense Department's request has a realistic shot of being approved in Congress.”
The US and the Israeli regime launched a large-scale unprovoked military campaign against Iran following the assassination of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, along with several senior military commanders and civilians on February 28.
The attacks have involved extensive aerial strikes on both military and civilian locations across Iran, causing significant casualties and widespread damage to infrastructure.
In response, the Iranian Armed Forces have carried out retaliatory operations, targeting American and Israeli positions in the occupied territories and at regional bases with waves of missiles and drones.