Geopolitics
Governance/Geopolitics
US Senate passes symbolic Iran war powers resolution, Trump lashes out

Just Earth News | @justearthnews | 23 Jun 2026, 10:08 pm Print

US Senate passes symbolic Iran war powers resolution, Trump lashes out US-Iran

The US-Iran war began on February 28. Photo: X/The White House.

The Republican-controlled US Senate on Tuesday backed legislation directing President Donald Trump to halt US military actions against Iran, according to media reports.

The measure passed by a narrow 50-48 vote.

The resolution had previously been approved by the US House of Representatives. However, despite clearing both chambers of Congress, the measure remains largely symbolic, as it will not be sent to the President for consideration and does not carry the force of law.

Middle East analyst Laura Blumenfeld described the move as "more of a slap on the wrist than a handcuff because it has no legal binding."

"It does reflect the American people's sentiments," she told BBC.

Reacting to the Senate vote, Trump criticized lawmakers in a post on Truth Social.

"So, I have Iran on the 'ropes,' ready to go down for the fall, willing to give us practically anything, and for the first time in decades, respecting the hell out of the United States and its President, ME, and the U.S. Senate decides to have a poorly timed and meaningless War Powers Act vote," Trump wrote.

He further claimed the measure had "provided aid and comfort to the enemy."

"These Senators have just made my job more difficult, but I will get it done, one way or the other, because I always get it done!" he added.

The Senate vote came at a time when Washington and Tehran are working to bring an end to hostilities following months of heightened tensions.

Meanwhile, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) announced on Tuesday that it will begin implementing an evacuation plan for more than 11,000 seafarers stranded in the Strait of Hormuz.

The operation follows months of hardship and uncertainty faced by thousands of seafarers and comes in the wake of a memorandum of understanding reached between Iran and the United States.

The large-scale evacuation effort will be carried out in cooperation with Iran, Oman, other coastal states, the United States, and representatives of the maritime industry.

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said the agency had secured the necessary safety guarantees and verified conditions for safe navigation before launching the operation.

Paying tribute to the 14 seafarers who lost their lives during the latest escalation in the Middle East conflict, Dominguez reaffirmed the organization's commitment to maritime safety and the uninterrupted flow of global trade.

Speaking at the daily UN briefing in New York, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the operation marked a significant step toward easing "the humanitarian impact on thousands of seafarers who have faced months of uncertainty, restricted movement and mounting welfare concerns."