Top officials from the U.S. StateDepartment will conduct a classified briefing next week on Iran policy formembers of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the committee said onFriday, amid a push for legislation to restrict President Donald Trump'sability to wage war on Iran.
Trump's special representative for Iran, Brian Hook,will lead the Tuesday briefing.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who leaves on Wednesdayfor an international trip to Ukraine and other countries, is not participating.
Senate leaders had said they expected to vote as soon asthis week on an Iran war powers resolution, but there had been no word on whenthat vote might take place.
The Democratic-controlled U.S. House of Representativesearlier this month voted to stop Trump from further military action againstIran after the U.S. killing of a top Iranian commander caused a spike intensions in the Middle East. Iran retaliated with missile strikes on Iraqibases that house U.S. troops.
The resolution faces an uphill battle in theRepublican-controlled Senate, which has been conducting Trump's impeachmenttrial this week.
Trump administration officials, including Pompeo,at a briefing earlier this month failed to convince Democratic U.S. lawmakers,and some Republicans, that an imminent threat had justified the killing ofQassem Soleimani.
Republican Senator Mike Lee, following the classifiedbriefing, said it was the worst briefing he had heard in nine years in theSenate, at least on a military issue, and that he would support the war powersresolution.
