House Passes Third War Powers Resolution on Iran

At a conference in Washington this July, a prominent Christian leader called on God to annihilate the Iranian government while hundreds of attendees shouted approval. Cindy Jacobs, chair of the Apostolic Council of Prophetic Elders, paced the stage at the Museum of the Bible and declared that the regime must come down. Her remarks came as the United States remains locked in a stalled conflict with Iran that began after joint American and Israeli strikes in late February.

The Intercessors for America event mixed explicit political demands with end-times language. Jacobs prayed against the Senate parliamentarian, Democratic Socialists, and Planned Parenthood in the same breath as calling for the downfall of Iran’s leadership. Earlier sessions reclaimed a colonial-era covenant binding America to Christ and described spiritual warfare against Freemasons and witches. Organizers framed these prayers as essential to national rededication under the current administration.

Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei responded to the broader conflict by outlining fresh conditions for ending hostilities. In an interview with Al Jazeera, he said Tehran had transmitted terms through Qatari mediators and warned that Iranian forces are now more prepared for prolonged fighting than in the opening weeks. Rezaei stated that any escalation would bring more numerous and painful strikes against American interests.

Full-scale combat has paused for months, yet the sides have not reached a settlement. A 60-day memorandum expired last month, after which attacks increased around the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has effectively closed the waterway to many vessels while the United States maintains a blockade of Iranian ports. Disruptions have pushed oil prices above 100 dollars a barrel and affected Saudi exports through the Red Sea.

Jacobs’s call for regime change aligns with a strand of American evangelical thought that views military confrontation with Iran as fulfillment of biblical prophecy. Participants at the conference treated the current fighting as evidence that divine intervention is underway. Such rhetoric occurs while the administration weighs whether to accept Iran’s latest diplomatic overtures or press for further military pressure.

Critics note that these prayer gatherings receive little mainstream scrutiny even as they explicitly target elected officials and foreign governments. The same leaders who demanded the removal of the Iranian regime also prayed against domestic political opponents and reproductive health providers. This fusion of apocalyptic expectation and policy advocacy raises questions about the influence of dominionist networks inside and outside government.

Iranian officials continue to signal openness to talks alongside military readiness. Rezaei described Tehran’s posture as combining diplomatic channels with preparations for wider conflict. For now, the war remains frozen in a dangerous stalemate where oil markets, shipping lanes, and competing religious narratives all intersect.