US Senate Passes Resolution to Block Military Action Against Iran

News Desk/Agencies 

Washington: Amid ongoing peace talks between the United States and Iran, the US Senate has passed a significant resolution directing President Donald Trump to immediately halt any military action against Iran. 

The measure was approved by a narrow vote of 50 to 48.

The decision comes as growing concerns emerge within President Trump’s own Republican Party over the conflict that began after US and Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28 this year.

The resolution marks a rare moment in American politics. 

According to lawmakers supporting the measure, it is the first time since 1973 that both chambers of Congress, the Senate and the House of Representatives, have approved legislation aimed at limiting a president’s ability to engage in military action without congressional authorization.

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Although the vote is largely seen as symbolic, political analysts view it as a significant setback for President Trump. The move reflects increasing unease among Republican lawmakers, many of whom are reportedly worried about the political consequences of the conflict ahead of the November midterm elections.

The legislation was approved as the Trump administration prepares to seek billions of dollars in additional funding from Congress to cover the costs of the military campaign.

Public opinion also appears to be turning against the war. 

According to a recent survey, only 25 percent of Americans believe that going to war with Iran was the right decision, while a majority fear that any future peace agreement with Tehran may prove short-lived.

Reacting angrily to the Senate vote, President Trump wrote on social media that the measure was “badly timed and completely meaningless,” adding that those who supported it had “helped Iran and made my job more difficult.”The vote has sparked a renewed constitutional debate in Washington over the division of war powers between Congress and the president.

Speaking in support of the resolution, Democratic Senator Tim Kaine argued that the US Constitution grants Congress, not the president, the authority to take the nation to war.

“The Constitution gives Congress the power to decide on war, and Congress must now accept that responsibility,” Kaine said.

Meanwhile, Representative Gregory Meeks of New York, who sponsored the measure in the House of Representatives, said the legislation applies to the president in all circumstances and that lawmakers would pursue every legal avenue necessary to ensure compliance.

The White House, however, dismissed the vote. A senior administration official said the measure carries no legal force because it will not be sent to the president for signature. The official also argued that the resolution passed only because two Republican lawmakers were absent during the vote.

Legal experts say the ultimate authority and enforceability of the measure may now be determined by the courts.

Senate Republican Majority Leader John Thune has also indicated that if the administration reaches a peace agreement with Iran, Congress will closely scrutinize the deal and hold another vote on the matter.