NIAC: With “90% Chance” of War on Iran, Congress Must Act Now to Prevent Illegal U.S. Military Adventure

In response to a Trump administration official telling reporters there is now a 90% chance of U.S. military action against Iran in the coming weeks, the National Iranian American Council (NIAC) released the following statement:

“This assessment should trigger immediate action from Congress, the branch of government legally and constitutionally charged with deciding when the U.S. goes to war.

“The United States is positioned on the edge of a major war in the Middle East, one that would not be limited, short-lived, or contained. With extensive military deployments underway and public signals that diplomacy may soon be abandoned, the risk of a large-scale, prolonged and senseless conflict is immediate and real. A war on Iran would not help Iranians demanding change in the face of government repression but instead kill innocent people, create instability inside Iran, and ignite a region-wide conflict.

“NIAC, the largest grassroots Iranian-American organization in the United States, representing more than 70,000 members nationwide, has spent nearly 25 years advancing peace and working to prevent a catastrophic war with Iran. Earlier this month, NIAC Action and 25 other national organizations formally called on Congress to exercise its constitutional authority and take immediate action to remove U.S. forces from hostilities and prevent an unauthorized and devastating conflict. This could be the last chance for Congress to finally assert its Constitutional authority and debate whether our nation enters a major war with generational consequences.

“The power to declare war belongs to Congress, not the president. Yet the country is once again being steered toward war without a vote, without meaningful public debate, and without clear authorization from the representatives of the American people.

“A war with Iran would carry enormous regional consequences, endanger American service members and Iranian civilians alike, destabilize global markets, and risk spiraling escalation across the region and diminished civil liberties at home. The American public has consistently opposed such a war. Lawmakers must reflect that reality.

“There is a concrete path to prevent this outcome. The Iran War Powers Resolution (WPR), introduced in the Senate by Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Rand Paul (R-KY) and in the House by Representatives Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY), would require the President to remove U.S. forces from hostilities with Iran absent Congressional authorization and make clear that any war must be debated and approved by Congress. If the reported 90% likelihood of military action is even close to accurate, Congress has no time to waste.”