WASHINGTON, April 15. /TASS/. The US Senate has rejected a resolution that would have effectively required the US administration to cease military operations against Iran.
A total of 47 senators voted in favor of the document, while 52 voted against it. Rand Paul, representing Kentucky, was the only Republican to vote for the resolution. The only Democrat to vote against it was John Fetterman, who represents Pennsylvania.
A similar resolution was previously blocked in the House of Representatives.
The US Constitution grants the authority to declare war not to the president, but to the Congress. However, in recent decades, American leaders have broadly interpreted the authorizations granted by lawmakers to use military force abroad, including launching operations that are, in effect, fundamentally new. Recently, a number of members of Congress have drafted resolutions requiring President Donald Trump to use military force against Iran only with the authorization of the legislative branch. However, none of these resolutions have been adopted.
On February 28, the US and Israel launched a large-scale operation against Iran. On April 7, the US president announced a two-week mutual ceasefire with Tehran. On April 11, Iran and the US held several rounds of talks in Islamabad. The Iranian delegation was led by Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, while the US delegation was headed by Vice President JD Vance. Both Tehran and Washington reported that the parties failed to reach an agreement on a long-term settlement due to a number of contradictions. Then, on April 13, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that the US military would begin a naval blockade of Iran, preventing any vessels from entering or leaving the country's ports.