Trump Threatens Iran; Congress Seeks to Limit War Powers

The United States and Iran have resumed indirect talks in Geneva on limiting Iran's nuclear program and potentially easing sanctions. Donald Trump publicly threatens a strike if no agreement is reached by early March, and the administration increases pressure by deploying large naval and air forces to the region. According to some media, the president has shifted the justification for a possible attack: from emphasizing repression of protests to arguments about rebuilding nuclear capabilities and missile development. Vice President J.D. Vance spoke about "evidence" of attempts to reconstruct the program, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio pointed to the problem of Iran's refusal to discuss its ballistic missiles. Simultaneously, the CIA has launched a campaign on social media, encouraging Iranians to provide information, including using VPN and the Tor network. „This is serious and the administration has to make its case to the American people” — Chuck Schumer JCPOA was an attempt to limit proliferation risk in a region where security disputes have persisted for decades. The 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq war showed how quickly a local conflict can engulf many countries and cost hundreds of thousands of lives. In Congress, the dispute over the White House's freedom of action is growing. Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives announced they would force a vote on a resolution limiting war powers resolution, sponsored by Ro Khanna and Republican Thomas Massie; some Republicans signal doubts and demand a briefing. Democrats, after a secret meeting with Rubio, criticized not so much the pressure on Tehran itself, but the lack of transparency in the decision-making process. Analysts and military officials warn of the risks of a prolonged operation: from human losses to the depletion of ammunition needed in other theaters, including against China. Bloomberg reported that the "Task Force Scorpion" unit, derived from an experimental naval component in Bahrain, achieved readiness to use loitering munitions. 60% — uranium enrichment level In the background remain the consequences of last year's strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and the 12-day war between Israel and Iran, after which destruction is visible in Tel Aviv and other cities, and hospitals are training for mass attack scenarios. Some sources recall that before the airstrikes, Iran was enriching uranium to 60%, close to the threshold for militarily useful uranium enrichment. Independent analyses based on IAEA data suggested that these stockpiles could be sufficient – after further enrichment to 90% – to produce between 7 and 10 nuclear warheads. Russia and China demonstrate support for Tehran with naval exercises off its coast, and more countries are issuing travel warnings and reducing personnel in the region. Lebanon remains particularly vulnerable: Prime Minister Nawaf Salam appeals for restraint, while Hezbollah announces a response to a possible US attack, and Israel threatens strikes on civilian infrastructure if the group joins the conflict. „There would be no victory for anybody -- it would be a devastating war” — Abbas Araghchi