US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Iran was desperate to reach an agreement and insisted the ongoing war would end very soon. Speaking at a press conference, he declared that global crude prices were likely to drop sharply due to excessive supply. “There’s so much oil out there, they’re going to come plummeting down..We’re going to end that war very quickly. They (Iran) want to make a deal so badly…You are going to see oil prices plummet. They’re going to come down. There’s so much oil out there, they’re going to come plummeting down,” he reiterated.
Earlier on the same day, the US Senate approved a resolution that seeks to restrict the President’s ability to initiate hostilities against Iran, as reported by CBS News. Senators voted 50 to 47 to advance the measure, with four Republicans joining Democrats in backing the motion.
The resolution, introduced by Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, calls on the President to “remove the United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Iran, unless explicitly authorised by a declaration of war or a specific authorisation for use of military force.” According to the report, Republican Senators Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul and Bill Cassidy supported Democrats for the vote.
Democrats praise vote as push against ‘unconstitutional war’
Reacting to the development, Democratic Representative Adam Schiff said the Senate had once again demanded an end to what he described as an unconstitutional conflict. “Today, Senate Democrats once again forced a vote to demand an end to this unconstitutional war. After seven failed attempts, I am thankful that my Republican colleagues have joined in bringing our War Powers Resolution to the Floor and exercising our constitutional responsibility to declare war,” he posted.
Senator Bernie Sanders also expressed support, noting that Americans do not want their taxes spent on prolonged military engagements. “Finally, Senate Republicans are starting to listen to their constituents. The American people do not want to spend billions on endless wars. They want to address the enormous crises facing our country. We must end this unconstitutional war,” he wrote.
Gulf leaders urge Trump to delay ‘planned strike’ on Iran
The political developments unfolded as the United States and Iran continued negotiations aimed at a peace agreement. Trump had recently revealed that a planned military operation against Tehran was paused after appeals from regional leaders in the Gulf. In a Truth Social post, he said that the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan asked him to postpone the operation as “serious negotiations” with Iran were underway. He said the US had “planned” an attack for Tuesday but halted it out of respect for these leaders who believed a deal acceptable to regional countries could be achieved.ย Trump added that he had instructed US military officials to prepare for a large-scale strike on Iran if talks failed.
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