The White House has declared that the recent conflict with Iran has effectively ended, even as a legal deadline requiring congressional authorisation for military action expired amid mounting political dispute.
Officials said President Donald Trump was not required to seek approval from Congress under the War Powers Resolution, arguing that hostilities had ceased following a ceasefire reached in early April. The administration maintains that the 60-day limit for unauthorised military engagement no longer applies.
However, critics in Congress have pushed back strongly, saying the situation does not meet the legal threshold for termination of hostilities. US forces remain deployed in the region, and measures such as a naval blockade targeting Iranian oil exports are still in place, raising questions over whether the conflict has truly ended.
The confrontation began in late February when US and Israeli forces carried out strikes on Iranian targets, triggering weeks of escalation that resulted in significant casualties and economic disruption. While active fighting has subsided, tensions between Washington and Tehran remain high.
Democratic lawmakers argue that the administration is sidestepping constitutional limits by failing to seek authorisation, insisting that any continued military posture requires congressional oversight. Many Republicans have backed the president’s position, though some within the party have expressed concern that fresh approval would be needed if hostilities resume.
Despite the ceasefire, Mr Trump has indicated that the threat posed by Iran persists and has not ruled out further military action. Diplomatic efforts are ongoing, but divisions in Washington over executive war powers and the risk of renewed conflict continue to dominate the debate.
The dispute leaves the US in a legally and politically uncertain position, with the conflict’s status contested even as the immediate fighting has paused.
[Sources: Reuters, AP]
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