Republican leaders called on President Trump to escalate military pressure against Iran after peace negotiations collapsed in Pakistan, with former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley advocating for a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and a special forces raid to seize Iran's nuclear materials.

Haley told CNN's State of the Union that Trump should treat the current two-week ceasefire as "a game of chicken" and go after Iran economically. She backed Trump's threat to blockade the strait, saying the Iranian regime is "hoping that Trump will cave." The narrow shipping passage remains under Iranian control, threatening global oil supplies.

Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson went further on ABC's This Week, advocating for complete regime removal. "We have to finish the job," Johnson said. "We will not have won until we have completely defanged the Iranian regime," though he admitted the task "could be longer term."

Haley outlined what she called a straightforward military solution to Iran's nuclear threat. She claimed US special forces could seize the country's enriched uranium stockpile in "about a week to 10 days." The operation would target Iran's nuclear facilities to prevent the regime from ever acquiring weapons-grade material.

Democratic leaders sharply rejected the Republican war hawks' proposals. Virginia Senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, called Haley's uranium seizure plan "very, very dangerous." He warned that such an operation would require "10,000 troops on the ground guarding a perimeter" and that Iranian forces "could then bomb their own facility, potentially trapping our troops."

Fellow Virginia Democrat Tim Kaine announced plans to introduce a war powers motion in the Senate within days to constrain Trump's military options. As Insider Wire previously reported, Kaine has consistently opposed Trump's Iran strategy.

The partisan divide reflects broader tensions over America's Iran policy as Trump faces a political test with the fragile ceasefire. Republican hawks see an opportunity to permanently neutralize Iran's nuclear program and regional influence, while Democrats fear military escalation could trap thousands of American troops in another Middle East conflict.

The debate comes as Iran maintains control over the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20% of global oil passes daily. Trump's blockade threat aims to cut off Iranian revenue from the waterway, but implementation would require significant naval resources and risk direct confrontation with Iranian forces.

Congress will likely vote on Kaine's war powers resolution within the week, setting up a direct test of legislative support for Trump's Iran strategy as the ceasefire deadline approaches.