‘War has paused,’ says Trump: What it means for US-Iran tensions

The Trump administration says the war with Iran has effectively been “terminated”, arguing that a ceasefire in place since early April marks the end of hostilities — a position that is now shaping both legal and diplomatic calculations in Washington.

The claim, however, comes even as key flashpoints remain unresolved, with Iran continuing to restrict shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the United States maintaining a naval blockade on Iranian oil exports, according to the Associated Press .

Ceasefire reframed as end of war

US officials say the halt in fighting means the administration is no longer bound by the War Powers Resolution requirement to seek congressional approval for military action beyond 60 days.

A senior administration official said that, for the purposes of the law, “the hostilities… have terminated,” referring to the conflict that began on February 28 .

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth had earlier told lawmakers that the ceasefire effectively paused the war, reinforcing the administration’s position that the legal clock has stopped.

Congress steps back as deadline passes

The interpretation has allowed the White House to avoid seeking authorisation from Congress as a key May 1 deadline passes without action.

Under the 1973 War Powers Resolution, the president is required to obtain congressional approval within 60 days of initiating hostilities. But Republican lawmakers have largely deferred to Trump, with no vote planned to authorise or halt the use of force.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he did not expect the chamber to weigh in on the issue, even as some lawmakers had previously raised concerns about the scope of the conflict, AP reported .

Tensions persist despite ‘pause’

Despite the administration’s characterisation of the war as over, the situation on the ground suggests a more fragile reality.

Iran continues to maintain pressure on global energy flows by limiting access through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for oil and gas shipments. In response, the US Navy has enforced a blockade aimed at preventing Iranian oil exports, AP reported.

The standoff has kept markets on edge, with energy prices elevated amid uncertainty over how long the disruption will last.

A conflict unresolved

The ceasefire, which began in early April and has since been extended, has halted direct military exchanges. But it has not resolved the underlying dispute between the two sides.

There have been no further rounds of substantive negotiations, and both Washington and Tehran continue to rely on pressure tactics rather than compromise.

The result is a situation that appears less like a concluded war and more like a suspended conflict — one in which hostilities have stopped, but tensions remain firmly in place.

Legal argument, political stakes

For the Trump administration, framing the war as “terminated” carries both legal and political significance.

It allows the White House to sidestep congressional scrutiny while presenting the ceasefire as a form of resolution, even in the absence of a formal agreement.

But the interpretation is likely to remain contested, particularly as the broader confrontation with Iran continues through economic and strategic measures rather than direct combat.

Pause, not peace

For now, the ceasefire has brought a halt to fighting, but not to the conflict itself.

With energy routes still disrupted, pressure tactics ongoing and no clear diplomatic breakthrough in sight, the US-Iran standoff appears to have entered a new phase — defined less by open war than by sustained tension.