On the day of a deadline in the US Congress for the Iran War, US President Donald Trump declared to leading parliamentarians that the fighting against the Islamic Republic was “over”. “The hostilities that began on February 28th have ended,” Trump said in a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson and acting Senate President Chuck Grassley on Friday.
A key deadline for the Iran war expired in the US on Friday, requiring the US president to seek approval from Congress to extend a conflict beyond 60 days. Without authorization, the US government is obliged by law to end the operation. However, the US government did not consider approval necessary: a high-ranking government official told the AFP news agency on Thursday evening that in accordance with the law the fighting was considered to have ended. There have been no exchanges of fire since a ceasefire that began at the beginning of April.
Trump also referred to this in his letter: He ordered a two-week ceasefire on April 7th, which has “since been extended.” “There has been no exchange of fire between United States forces and Iran since April 7, 2026,” he said.
Imprisoned Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi has been taken to hospital because of acute heart problems. According to her lawyer Mostafa Nili, she has been suffering from cardiac arrhythmia for a long time, but she suddenly collapsed on Friday.
“She had severe chest pain and her condition then deteriorated critically,” Nili wrote on X. The 54-year-old was then taken to a hospital in the city of Sanjan in northwestern Iran. However, given the severity of her illness, she needs treatment from her own specialists, her lawyer said.
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” has such a permit been requested, he told reporters in Washington. “Why should we make an exception?” Trump emphasized that he was also 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 US commander in chief can command the offensive for a maximum of 60 days. After this deadline, Trump would have to obtain approval from Congress.
