US ceasefire with Iran sets diplomatic clock as war powers deadline nears

The two-week ceasefire the United States agreed to with Iran on Tuesday not only sets a deadline to seal a deal with Tehran, but leaves…

The two-week ceasefire the United States agreed to with Iran on Tuesday not only sets a deadline to seal a deal with Tehran, but leaves just days before the 60-day legal limit under the War Powers Resolution for waging war without congressional authorisation expires.

This has left open the question of how the conflict proceeds if diplomacy fails and the legal clock runs out.

“Almost all the various points of past contention have been agreed to between the United States and Iran, but a two-week period will allow the agreement to be finalised and consummated,” Trump said in a social media post on Tuesday.

The Trump administration filed its war powers notification with Congress on March 2, two days after the US and Israel launched joint strikes against Iran under Operation Epic Fury on February 28.

The War Powers Resolution, enacted in 1973, requires the US president to consult Congress “in every possible instance” before introducing armed forces into hostilities and to withdraw forces within 60 days unless Congress declares war or authorises the use of force. The law also provides expedited procedures for lawmakers to vote on resolutions blocking further military action.

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US and Iran agree to 2-week ceasefire amid Pakistani mediation efforts

The 60-day deadline under the War Powers Resolution falls around May 1.

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