Washington, February 28 (NationPress) - The United States has officially labeled Iran as a “State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention”, intensifying the pressure on Tehran amidst a heated debate among lawmakers regarding the potential for broader conflict.

“Today, I am designating Iran as a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention,” stated Secretary of State Marco Rubio in an announcement.

He emphasized that since the Iranian regime took control 47 years ago, Ayatollah Khomeini “secured his hold on power by endorsing the hostage-taking of US embassy personnel.” Rubio further noted that Iran has “cruelly detained innocent Americans as well as individuals from other nations to use as political leverage against other countries. This reprehensible practice must cease.”

Rubio cautioned that failure to halt these actions may lead Washington to consider “further measures, including possible geographic travel restrictions on the use of US passports to, through, or from Iran.”

“The Iranian regime must cease its hostage-taking and release all unjustly detained Americans in Iran—actions that could lead to the lifting of this designation and associated sanctions. We urge them to take these steps. No American should travel to Iran for any reason, and we reiterate our advice for Americans currently in Iran to leave immediately,” Rubio stated.

This announcement coincided with discussions among senators regarding the possibility of military engagement.

Senator Jack Reed, the leading Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, warned against entering into conflict. “If war is not necessary, it should be avoided. President Trump’s aggressive stance toward Iran risks taking the nation down a perilous path without a clear strategy or endgame, jeopardizing US national security,” he remarked.

Reed asserted that Congress has not received “substantive briefings or intelligence” and insisted that “only Congress holds the constitutional authority to authorize war.”

On the Senate floor, Senator Tim Kaine called for a vote on his bipartisan War Powers Resolution, stating, “I strongly believe that a war with Iran today is both unnecessary and perilous. We should not engage in war without a Congressional vote.”

Kaine questioned whether the United States should “favor war over diplomacy” and whether Iran is “worth sacrificing US lives, resources, and credibility?”

In contrast, Republican Senator John Kennedy adopted a tougher stance. “We are not seeking to instigate a war. This conflict has been ongoing for a long time. We are trying to bring it to an end,” he asserted.

“Cease the nuclear weapons development. Halt nuclear enrichment. Stop supporting terrorism towards Hamas and Hezbollah. Terminate your missile program. And stop the killing and torture of your own people. That’s our only demand,” Kennedy added.

In a separate development, the Justice Department announced a civil forfeiture initiative aimed at seizing the Motor Tanker Skipper and approximately 1.8 million barrels of crude oil, claiming the vessel was facilitating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps by transporting illicit oil from Iran and Venezuela.

“Under President Trump’s administration, the era of covertly financing regimes that threaten the United States is over,” declared Attorney General Pamela Bondi.

Iran has long endured extensive US sanctions due to its nuclear activities, ballistic missile advancements, and regional operations. Tensions have escalated since the US withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.