UPDATE 2 - US Secretary of State Rubio to brief Congressional leaders on Iran amid tensions

ADDS STATEMENT BY HOUSE MINORITY LEADER; CHANGES IN HEADLINE, LEDE AND BODY

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to brief senior congressional leaders Tuesday at the White House as the Trump administration considers possible military strikes against Iran.

The session is expected to bring together House and Senate leadership alongside senior members of both chambers' intelligence committees.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe will attend the briefing, according to Axios.

- Democratic pushback

Ahead of the briefing, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries warned against any unilateral military action, saying Congress must authorize the use of force before the administration moves ahead with any strike. "American people understand that under no circumstances should the Trump administration get us into another failed foreign forever war," Jeffries said, adding that such action would "cost American lives" without leading to "any decisive resolution."

Jeffries also challenged the administration's credibility on Iran's nuclear program, pointing to US President Donald Trump's previous claim that last year's strikes had "completely and totally obliterated" Iran's nuclear capabilities. "Clearly he was lying to the American people, or he's lying right now," Jeffries said, questioning what had changed to create a new sense of urgency.

Despite his skepticism, Jeffries said he intended to attend the briefing and question administration officials on the contradiction. "I plan to press them on the claim that Donald Trump himself made about the Iranian nuclear program and what the great urgency is right now," he said.

The briefing comes as tensions have risen dramatically following the deployment of US aircraft carriers and bombers to the Middle East in recent weeks. A third round of indirect nuclear talks, brokered by Oman, is due in Geneva on Thursday, where Tehran is expected to hand over a draft proposal to the Americans.

The White House says US Trump's approach favors diplomacy but keeps military action as an option.