Pentagon Chief Dismisses Reports of $200 Billion Request for Iran Operations

WASHINGTON, April 30. /TASS/. US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth dismissed reports that the US administration intends to request an additional $200 billion for operations against Iran. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) raised the issue during a hearing of the US Senate Armed Services Committee, asking Hegseth to comment on reports that the administration plans to submit a $200 billion funding request to Congress for operations against Iran. "We didn't ask for $200 billion. I don't know where you got that number from, Senator. I think you got it from the news - you should be careful where you read the news," the Pentagon chief said. At a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday, Hegseth said the US administration may still submit a major request for additional Pentagon funding. He noted that continued military operations against Iran would require less than $25 billion, with most of the funds intended to replenish depleted stockpiles, though he did not specify the total amount of the potential request. In March, The Washington Post reported that the US military was seeking more than $200 billion to continue operations against Iran. In early April, the newspaper said the figure had been reduced to $80-100 billion.