In a post on his X account on Friday night, Baqaei questioned why American families should bear the human and financial costs of a conflict they did not choose, arguing that proposals to use student-loan and credit-card debt forgiveness to recruit Americans for a war with Iran would effectively turn them into “cannon fodder”.

“Americans, ask yourselves one question: Why should your sons and daughters be offered debt forgiveness in exchange for fighting and dying in a war Israel wants continued & expanded?” the Iranian spokesman wrote.

“An opinion column in The Jerusalem Post is openly floating exactly that idea: using student-loan and credit-card debt to recruit Americans for war with Iran,” he added.

“Your lives. Your taxes. Someone else’s war. Do not let anyone turn you into the cannon fodder - and the bill - for a war you never chose. Do not let anyone turn your children into mercenaries for their illegal 'war of choice',” Baqaei told Americans.