US Senate passes resolution to curb Trump’s war powers on Iran

The US Senate has passed a war powers resolution aimed at restricting President Donald Trump from launching further military action against Iran without prior approval from Congress, marking a significant challenge to the administration's handling of the conflict.

The Iran War Powers Resolution was approved on Tuesday by a 50-48 vote, with four Republican senators joining most Democrats in supporting the measure. One Democrat voted against the resolution.

According to a summary published on the US Congress website, the resolution directs the President to withdraw US Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Iran unless Congress formally declares war or authorizes the use of military force.

The measure also reaffirms Congress' constitutional authority to declare war and oversee military engagements. Supporters argue that military operations against Iran should not proceed without explicit congressional authorization.

The Senate vote marks the first time a war powers measure related to the Iran conflict has cleared Congress since hostilities began earlier this year, reflecting growing bipartisan concerns over presidential war-making powers.

Lawmakers backing the resolution described the conflict as an unauthorized military engagement and stressed the need for congressional oversight before any future escalation.

Despite its passage, several US media outlets described the measure as largely symbolic because the Trump administration maintains that US forces are not currently engaged in active hostilities with Iran.

According to reports, the resolution comes as Washington and Tehran remain in the early stages of diplomatic talks aimed at preventing further conflict and maintaining stability in the region.

Democratic lawmakers argued that congressional approval remains essential even if tensions between the United States and Iran have eased.

Senator Tim Kaine, a leading advocate of the resolution, said the vote would help ensure that any future military action against Iran cannot be undertaken without Congress being involved in the decision-making process.

The resolution is expected to fuel ongoing debate over presidential military authority, congressional war powers and US policy toward Iran.