THE White House has suggested that US President Donald Trump will ask Arab countries to cover the cost of the United States’ war against Iran, estimated to be in the tens of billions of dollars.
Trump’s spokeswoman, Karoline Leavitt, was asked on Monday whether Arab states should pay for the war, as when US allies helped fund Washington’s intervention during the Gulf War in 1990.
“I think it’s something the president would be quite interested in calling them to do,” Leavitt told reporters.
“I won’t get ahead of him on that, but certainly it’s an idea that I know that he has, and something that I think you’ll hear more from him on.”
The US led a global coalition of dozens of countries during the Gulf War to fend off Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait at the request of the country and several of its Arab neighbours.
In turn, states in the region and coalition members, including Germany and Japan, raised $54bn (the equivalent of $134bn today) to help pay for the US involvement.
This time, however, the US and Israel went to war with Iran unilaterally without involving their allies and regional countries.
Earlier this month, Sean Hannity, a right-wing commentator close to Trump, said any ceasefire deal should include making Iran pay for the cost of the war, which has killed nearly 2,000 Iranians.
“They must agree to repay America in oil for the entire cost of this entire military operation,” Hannity said.
However, Iran has set US compensation for war damage as one of its conditions.
Iran has retaliated against US and Israeli strikes with missile and drone attacks across the entire Middle East.
Iranian officials have said they are targeting US assets in the region, but Tehran has launched attacks against civilian sites, including hotels, airports and energy infrastructure, in several Gulf countries.
US media outlets reported earlier this month that officials told members of the US Congress in a classified hearing that the first six days of the war cost $11.3bn.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies estimated that the number rose to $16.5bn by day 12 of the conflict. The bill is likely far higher now as the war enters its 31st day.
The White House is seeking at least $200bn in additional military spending from Congress to help fund the military campaign in Iran and replenish the Pentagon’s munition stockpiles.
Beyond the immediate price tag for the US military, the war – which saw Iran close down the Strait of Hormuz – has sent global energy prices soaring.
The average price of one gallon (3.8 litres) of petrol in the US is now $3.99, according to an American Automobile Association (AAA) tracker, more than $1 higher than before the war started.
On Monday, Leavitt reiterated the Trump administration’s assertion that the surge in energy prices will be outweighed by the gains of weakening Iran.
“The overall message, as we repeatedly stated again: These are short-term actions and short-term price fluctuations for the long-term benefit of ending the threat that Iran poses to the United States of America, our troops and our allies in the region,” she told reporters.
Iran argues that it was attacked first in the middle of diplomatic talks, and it did not pose a threat to the US or the region.