US House backs Iran war powers resolution

The US House of Representatives on Wednesday backed a war powers resolution to remove the US Armed Forces from hostilities against Iran.

The lower chamber passed the resolution by a vote of 215-208.

The resolution was introduced by Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Democrats have repeatedly pushed votes in both the House and the Senate to limit President Donald Trump's war powers, with the effort gradually gaining more Republican backing in recent weeks.

Meeks said the passage of the resolution was a "significant bipartisan rebuke" of Trump's "illegal and costly war" in Iran.

"Trump's war has failed to accomplish the Trump administration's stated goals with respect to Iran. If anything, it has pushed a diplomatic resolution of Iran's nuclear program further away," he said.

Meeks argued that the war undermined the credibility of US negotiations and allowed Iran to demonstrate its leverage over the Strait of Hormuz.

"The passage of this WPR today signals a significant turning point: more and more Republicans are listening to their constituents who do not want another open-ended war in the Middle East," he said.

Meeks urged the Senate to take up the measure and make clear to Trump that "enough is enough."

"If he won't clean up his own mess, Congress will."