U.S. Defense Secretary: Authorization for U.S.-Iran Conflict Without Congressional Approval Expires, Now Suspended

¬ Medvedev: The competition will not only be military, but also technological, in the coming decades

U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth stated that the 60-day window for military action against Iran—originally exempt from congressional approval—has been suspended due to the ceasefire arrangement.

Under the 1973 War Powers Act, the U.S. President is authorized to deploy armed forces overseas without congressional consent for only 60 days. Thus, Trump’s military authorization is set to expire on May 1.

When asked whether the Trump administration would seek congressional authorization if the Middle East conflict continues, Hegseth deferred the question to the White House.

In a Senate committee hearing, Hegseth said: "On this issue, I will ultimately follow the advice of the White House and its legal counsel. But as we understand it, the ceasefire currently in effect has paused or completely halted the 60-day countdown."

He also noted that the U.S. government might request additional funding from Congress to cover expenses related to the strikes against Iran.

Previously, Axios reported, citing sources, that President Trump views a maritime blockade as the primary means of pressuring Iran, though he remains open to considering other military options if necessary. According to the website, U.S. Central Command has developed a “short and sharp” strike plan. Earlier reports by Bloomberg indicated that CENTCOM has requested deployment of the “Dark Eagle” hypersonic missile to the Middle East, potentially for use against Iran—though this request has not yet been approved.

On February 28, the United States and Israel began launching attacks on targets inside Iran, resulting in over 3,000 deaths. On April 8, Washington and Tehran announced a two-week ceasefire, followed by failed negotiations held in Islamabad. There has been no news of renewed hostilities so far, but the U.S. has begun blockading Iranian ports. On April 21, Trump stated he would extend the ceasefire until Tehran proposes a resolution to the conflict and completes negotiations.

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On April 30, Russian Deputy Security Council Chairman Medvedev said during a visit to the Leningrad Military District Training Center that the competition in the coming decades will not only involve arms races, but also technological competitions—including in robotics.

Medvedev stated: "The technological race will continue—not just the traditional arms race—but technological competition will persist for decades to come. This applies across all fields, including robotics."

He pointed out that just a few years ago, robotics was not considered such an urgent issue.

Medvedev added: "Back then, people thought these were merely stories written by science fiction authors—even your current drones were seen that way. But I remember clearly how all of this unfolded right before my eyes. At the time, I didn’t feel this would become a real necessity."

Source: sputniknews

Original: toutiao.com/article/1863946600870924/

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