Iranian-American group sues Trump over war

The National Iranian American Council filed suit against President Donald Trump on Thursday in a Washington, DC court, seeking a court order to stop the ongoing US military campaign against Iran, arguing the president lacks constitutional authority to wage war without congressional oversight. The advocacy group brought the case on behalf of Iranian Americans, including US citizens and a US Army veteran, whose relatives inside Iran have been affected by more than six months of fighting, according to Al Jazeera.

Several plaintiffs said family members were killed or wounded in air strikes while at home or carrying out everyday activities. Others described hardships tied to the conflict itself, among them sanctions-driven economic strain, difficulty obtaining healthcare, and travel restrictions. The complaint contends that people remaining in Iran face ongoing danger because Trump has continued military action without proper legal authorization, and states that thousands of civilians, including hundreds of children, have died in the war.

NIAC President Jamal Abdi said in a statement that no single president should be able to draw the country into an open-ended war unilaterally, framing the case around whether one person can keep an entire nation at war by his own decision. The lawsuit also draws on a United Nations panel that issued findings this month indicating US airstrikes had likely violated the laws of war, killing an estimated hundreds of civilians in the process.

Summarized by PolitiKool from Al Jazeera’s reporting. Read the full story at Al Jazeera →