WANA (Apr 29) – According to international media reports and analyses by U.S. economic experts, the cost of the recent war with Iran has far exceeded initial estimates and, under various scenarios, could surpass $1 trillion.

 

Citing sources including Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, these projections are largely based on the analysis of Linda Bilmes, a public budget expert at Harvard University. According to these assessments, even within a relatively short timeframe of active conflict, the combined direct and indirect costs are expected to reach extremely high levels over the long term.

 

The report also draws a comparison with the Vietnam War, which lasted 22 years and cost between $165 billion and $450 billion in direct expenses, depending on the source. Adjusted to present-day value, some estimates place its total cost at around $3 trillion.

 

However, analysts emphasize a key distinction: while Vietnam was a prolonged war of attrition, a significant portion of the costs in the Iran conflict was incurred in a much shorter period.

 

Economic data indicate that during the early days of the war, daily costs reached billions of dollars, later accumulating to tens of billions as the conflict escalated. Some estimates place the daily cost of the war at approximately $2 billion.

 

In addition to direct military spending, long-term indirect costs—such as reconstruction of damaged infrastructure, replacement of advanced military systems, personnel maintenance, and interest on war-related debt—are expected to significantly increase the final figure.

 

The reports further note that the U.S. military relied heavily on advanced defense systems during the conflict, whose operational and interception costs are extremely high. Damage to several U.S. military bases in the region and the loss of expensive equipment have also contributed to the rising expenses.

 

Analyses published in American media, including Foreign Policy, suggest that the structure of the conflict is increasingly resembling a war of attrition, similar in some ways to Vietnam, though with much faster economic pressure on both sides.

 

According to these assessments, the continuation of such a conflict could have major economic consequences for the United States, prompting discussions in some political circles in Washington about the possibility of de-escalation or ending the war.

 

Overall, experts emphasize that even if the conflict ends, its financial and economic impacts are likely to persist for years, leaving a lasting imprint on the U.S. defense budget and broader economy.