The US Senate once again rejected the war powers bill that would require Congressional approval for attacks on Iran. The bill failed to reach the necessary majority, with 48 "no" votes against 47 "yes" votes.
The measure, regularly brought up in Congress since the start of the conflict, aimed to make President Donald Trump's attacks on Iran subject to Congressional approval. Thus, the Senate did not pass the bill again.
The timing of the vote drew attention
The vote took place after the agreement reached between the US and Iran on June 15. The bill was supported by many Democratic senators as well as four Republican senators, but this support was not enough to pass it.
The 1973 War Powers Act requires the US president to obtain Congressional approval before initiating war against any country. The law also mandates that the president notify Congress in advance of such an action.
Another provision of the law requires US forces to withdraw within 60 days from any conflict not approved by Congress. For this reason, the Senate vote reignited the debate over the balance of war powers held by the president.
New debate after the agreement
On June 15, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif announced that the US and Iran had reached an agreement to end conflicts on all fronts, including Lebanon, following ongoing negotiations. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Garibabadi confirmed the agreement and stated that the memorandum would be signed in Switzerland on June 19.
US President Donald Trump declared that the peace agreement with Iran was finalized, the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened, and the US naval blockade would be lifted immediately. These statements made the process between Washington and Tehran more visible during the period when the war powers bill was being discussed.
The announcement that the US-Iran agreement would also cover Lebanon sparked debates in Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisrael Katz asserted that they would not withdraw from the areas they occupy in southern Lebanon.
