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Agence France-Presse

US lawmakers warned Wednesday against using a war authorisation passed in the wake of September 11 for action against Iran, pressing a senior official to acknowledge that Tehran was not behind the 2001 attacks.
Brian Hook, the US special representative on Iran, repeatedly declined to say if President Donald Trump legally enjoyed the right to attack Iran, echoing the non-committal comments in April before Congress by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
“I’m not a War Powers Act scholar. I can only tell you that everything we would do would be lawful,” Hook told a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee.
But pressed by Democratic Representative Brad Sherman on whether Iran was responsible for the deaths of Americans on September 11, 2001, Hook replied, “No”.
Hook insisted that any potential US military moves on Iran would be defensive, saying: “There is no talk of offensive action.”

After al-Qaeda extremists killed some 3,000 people in 2001, the US Congress authorised then president George W. Bush to go to war in Afghanistan, where the group’s leader Osama bin Laden had found shelter.
The authorisation has since been cited by administrations to justify operations in countries as diverse as Yemen and the Philippines where al-Qaeda militants are found to be present.
Pompeo, in his April appearance before a Senate committee, said there was “no doubt” of a connection between Iran’s Shiite clerical regime and al-Qaeda, which is militantly Sunni.
Iran is believed to have been the long-time base of Hamza bin Laden, the son of Osama bin Laden, although some experts believe Tehran may have been holding him as leverage to prevent attacks against Iran or to put pressure on regional rival Saudi Arabia.
Tensions have soared in recent weeks, with the United States seeking to end all Iranian oil exports and Washington pointing to Iran as the culprit in a series of attacks on tanker ships.




Hook insisted that the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign – which included pulling out of a denuclearisation accord still backed by the Europeans – was succeeding, pointing to financial difficulties faced by Iran’s militant allies such as Hezbollah and Hamas.
But Hook said Trump was serious in his appeals for negotiations with Iran, which reached the nuclear accord after extensive talks with the administration of his predecessor Barack Obama.
“No one should be uncertain about our desire for peace and our readiness to normalise relations should we reach a comprehensive deal,” Hook said.
“We have put the possibility of a much brighter future for Iran on the table and we mean it,” he said.
Hook said a future US-Iran accord would focus on four areas – Tehran’s nuclear program, ballistic missiles, support for extremist groups and detention of US citizens.
Iran claims to have arrested spies, dismantled ‘new’ CIA network
Iran’s leaders have dismissed dialogue with the Trump administration, questioning its sincerity and pointing to US officials’ comments gloating over economic difficulties in the country.
Representative Ted Deutch, the Democrat who heads the House subcommittee on the Middle East, said Trump’s policy was incoherent and had triggered an escalation from Iran rather than any desired outcome.
“It appears there is no process in place to reassess the assumptions underlying the administration’s policies,” he said.
“Rather than force Iran back to the negotiating table, the administration’s policy is increasing the chance of miscalculation, which then would bring the United States and Iran closer to a military conflict,” he said.


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Iran

US officials warn against using post-9/11 War Powers Act to take military action against Iran

Brian Hook, the US Special Representative for Iran, testifies before a House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee. Photo: AFP

epa07656733 US President Donald J. Trump speaks to the media as he departs the White House for a campaign event in Florida in Washington, DC, USA, 18 June 2019. President Trump is travelling to Orlando to launch his 2020 re-election campaign. Prior to leaving the White House, the President spoke about Patrick Shanahan, who withdrew from consideration to be Trump's permanent defense secretary. He also spoke about tariffs, immigration, and growing tensions with Iran. EPA-EFE/JIM LO SCALZO

China turns to Iran for LPG, ignoring sanctions

China sourced around a fifth of its LPG from the United States before Beijing slapped a 25 per cent tariff on the gas in August. Photo: Denise Tsang

China urges US not to open ‘Pandora’s box’ by putting more pressure on Iran

A picture obtained from Iranian news agency Tasnim on June 13 reportedly shows an Iranian navy boat trying to control a tanker fire. Photo: AFP

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is seen prior to a meeting with Russian President at the Bocharov Ruchei residence in Sochi, Russia May 13, 2019. Alexander Nemenov/Pool via REUTERS

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As tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to simmer, US special representative declines to say if Donald Trump can legally attack Iran


As tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to simmer, US special representative declines to say if Donald Trump can legally attack Iran.


US officials warn against using post-9/11 War Powers Act to take military action against Iran

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}As tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to simmer, US special representative declines to say if Donald Trump can legally attack Iran

As tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to simmer, US special representative declines to say if Donald Trump can legally attack Iran