Iranian officials have expressed triumph following the midterm elections in the United States, where Democrats captured majorities in both the Senate and the House. Iranian leaders characterized the results as a rejection of the war launched by Donald Trump, noting that the conflict has driven up gas prices and costs for American citizens.
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, who serves as Iran's chief negotiator, posted on X on November 4, 2026, stating that "Conscience or the cost of living, Americans said NO TO WAR, and we endorse this message." He warned that if the US government ignores public opinion to serve "international paymasters and blackmailers," it will face a "Nightmare."
Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei issued a written statement asserting that US hostility would persist regardless of which party holds power. He warned against "even the slightest inclination towards submission" to the US, adding, "The US sees the end of its hegemony as distant; we see it as near."
While Iranian leaders welcomed the Democratic victory, two senior Iranian sources told Reuters that Tehran remains on high alert. These sources stated that Tehran is concerned Trump might seek to compensate for his electoral loss with a military strike.
The conflict began on February 28, when the US and Israel attacked Iran. Iran responded with strikes on Israel and Gulf states that host US bases. The war has since spread to Lebanon, involving Iran-backed Hezbollah, and to Yemen, where Iran-aligned Houthis have struck targets in Saudi Arabia. The conflict has caused global oil and gas prices to rise and led to a US naval blockade on Iran.
During a state-organised rally on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, commemorating the 1979 student takeover of the US embassy, demonstrators celebrated the election results. One demonstrator, identifying only by the family name Nazari, claimed the "might of these warmongering Republicans has been broken" and predicted the "real war" would now unfold inside the US Senate.
