90-1 US Senate Vote: De-facto 'Declaration of War' on Iran

September 22, 2012 - Non-binding resolution passed by 90-1 vote rules out any strategy aimed at dealing with nuclear-armed Iran; at IAEA meeting, recognized nuclear weapon states oppose Iranian nuclear disarmament proposal.

The US Senate on Saturday passed by a 90-1 vote a non-binding resolution insisting that the United States prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and ruling out any strategy aimed at dealing with a nuclear-armed Iran.


Passage of the resolution comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pressed Washington to spell out what would provoke a U.S.-led military strike against Iranian nuclear facilities. The Senate acted in the final hours before Congress broke for its weekslong recess.

The only senator to vote against the resolution was Republican Rand Paul, a Tea Party and libertarian favorite, who argued that it was a de-facto "declaration of war".