Trump gives the US Congress the cold shoulder.Image: keystone
May 1, 2026, 10:31 p.mMay 1, 2026, 10:31 p.m
Regardless of the legal situation, US President Donald Trump will not allow the continuation of the Iran war to be approved by Parliament. “Never before” had such a permit been requested, he told reporters in Washington. “Why should we make an exception?” At the same time, Trump emphasized that he was in communication with Congress.
Theoretically, the time window in which Trump can wage war expires at the weekend. According to the War Powers Resolution of 1973, the commander in chief can command the offensive for a maximum of 60 days. If a president also wants to command combat operations by the US military, the formal consent of Parliament is required. This is intended to prevent the USA from being drawn into lengthy, illegitimate operations.
At the end of the 60 days, Trump would theoretically be forced to withdraw US troops gradually. This would also apply to the naval forces and ships that are currently maintaining the US blockade of Iranian ports despite the ceasefire. However, there are loopholes so that Trump could continue the war even after the deadline has passed. Previous presidents such as Democrats Bill Clinton and Barack Obama had also bypassed parliament.
The White House also announced a more nuanced interpretation of the law. “In accordance with the War Powers Resolution, the fighting that began on Saturday, February 28th has ended,” a high-ranking government official told the German Press Agency. Washington and Tehran agreed on a two-week ceasefire on April 7th and this has been extended. “There has been no exchange of fire between US forces and Iran since Tuesday, April 7th,” it said.
The speaker of the US House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, who is close to Trump, made a similar statement: According to him, the USA is not currently at war because there are currently no hostilities. This means the government does not have to adhere to a 60-day deadline.
Hegseth had already argued similarly
On Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the government could continue the war against Iran for weeks without congressional approval. “We are currently in a ceasefire, which, as we understand it, means that the 60-day period (…) is paused or stopped,” he told a Senate committee.
Washington is looking for new diplomatic approaches
Meanwhile, according to sources, the US government is trying a new approach amid stalled talks between Washington and Tehran. A new coordination body should “facilitate cooperation between the United States and our allies in the Strait of Hormuz,” a senior government official told the German Press Agency.
The US State Department said measures would be taken “to ensure safe passage.” This included “the provision of real-time information, safety instructions and coordination measures”.
Specifically, according to information from the White House, the “Maritime Freedom Construct” is intended to enable the exchange of information between the as yet unnamed allies and “coordinate diplomatic and economic measures” in order to sanction Iran in the event of a further blockade of the strait. It was initially unclear which countries exactly should take part and whether Germany was asked. Meanwhile, the US military should maintain the naval blockade of ships entering or leaving Iranian ports.
Strait of Hormuz remains a point of contention
According to a British Navy report, fewer than ten ships currently pass through the Strait of Hormuz every day. More ships leave the Persian Gulf than the other way around. Before the important strait was blocked by Iran as a result of the war, around 130 ships sailed through it every day, it said.
The British Navy operates an international sea rescue hotline and has documented 41 dangerous incidents in the strait since the outbreak of war. The head of the authority, Commander Jo Black, is particularly concerned about the sailors who are stuck on up to 870 ships in the Gulf: “There are no crew changes. The sailors are not returning home, food and supplies are arriving but are in short supply, and there are also long-term effects on mental health.
Iran’s parliament speaker and key negotiator Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf made fun of the US naval blockade on Thursday: Iran has long national borders. An Iranian trade association said 40 percent of the country’s trade could shift to land routes. The claim was not substantiated or specified in more detail. However, the enormous oil business takes place by ship – transferring it to land routes can hardly accommodate similar volumes.
Iran makes new proposals to end the war
Meanwhile, Iran handed over a new proposal to mediators in Pakistan, according to state news agency Irna. Iran’s state-run television station Irib reported that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had informed his counterparts in the region in several phone calls about “new initiatives related to ending the war.” There was initially no confirmation from Pakistan regarding the handover of the new proposal. Nothing was known about the content of the new initiative. (sda/dpa)