WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The US House of Representatives on Friday voted on an item in a Pentagon budget bill that requires the US president to obtain congressional approval before military action against Iran.
The vote came in a majority of 251 votes to 170 votes, with a number of Republicans joined the Democrats in support of the item.
The move would prevent the administration of President Donald Trump from using any federal funds to launch a military strike against Iran without the explicit approval of Congress, the US Today newspaper reported on its Web site.
The move reflects the concern of US lawmakers over the powers of the war and attempts to withdraw it from the executive branch and return it to Congress.
But the clause does not limit the president's ability to use military force in self-defense.
The Senate has to approve this amendment passed by the House of Representatives, as well as other amendments, including the cessation of US support for the war in Yemen.
The vote in the US House of Representatives amid fears of a military confrontation between Iran and the United States under the current tension regarding the movement of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz after incidents targeting oil tankers and the fall of a US aircraft, although Washington and Tehran assert that they do not seek war.
Trump said three weeks ago he ordered a military strike on Iran in retaliation for the downing of the plane, and that it was retracted 10 minutes before the strike, which was aimed at Iranian military targets.