Iranian Official Mocks Trump's Election Setback With 'NO TO WAR' Message After Democrats Win Congress
Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in the Nov. 3, 2026, midterm elections.
Nov. 4 2026, Published 12:59 p.m. ET
Iranian officials have seized on the Republican Party's losses in the November 3 midterm elections, portraying Democrats' victory as a rejection of President Donald Trump's handling of the war with Iran.
Democrats won control of both the Senate and House of Representatives, dealing Trump a significant political setback as the conflict continues to affect energy markets and fuel prices.
Tehran has pointed to the results as evidence that American voters are unhappy with the military campaign and its economic consequences.
However, Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei cautioned against expecting a change in Washington's approach following the election.
In a written message published Wednesday, November 4, he said the outcome would not alter America's hostility toward Iran and warned that any renewed aggression would trigger a much broader response.
Ghalibaf Says Americans Have Rejected Trump's War
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned Washington against ignoring voters’ opposition to the conflict.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who has led Tehran's negotiations with Washington, celebrated the election results in a post on X.
"Conscience or the cost of living, Americans said NO TO WAR, and we endorse this message," he wrote Wednesday.
Ghalibaf also warned the U.S. government against disregarding public opinion to serve what he called "international paymasters and blackmailers." He added that Iran's refusal to accept further aggression would come with a "nightmare."
The remarks followed the U.S. and Israeli military campaign against Iran, which began February 28, 2026.
The fighting has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a major international route for oil and gas shipments, while contributing to higher energy prices.
Iranian Officials Claim Political Victory
An Iranian embassy shared an AI-generated video mocking Trump after the Republican losses.
Hamidreza Moghaddamfar, an adviser to the commander-in-chief of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, also celebrated the Republican setbacks.
According to Iran's semi-official Tasnim News Agency, he described the results as a "heavy defeat of the United States in warmongering against Iran." He also characterized the election as a public judgment on Trump's military campaign.
Trump has acknowledged that the conflict and rising gasoline prices hurt Republican candidates. However, he has continued to defend the decision to attack Iran, saying he would make the same choice again.
Iranian lawmaker Alaeddin Boroujerdi also welcomed the Republican losses, arguing that Iran deserved congratulations and that Democrats would challenge Trump's handling of the conflict.
Embassy Video Adds to Iran's Mockery of Trump
An IRGC adviser called the election outcome a defeat for U.S. “warmongering” against Iran.
Iran's Embassy in India also joined the criticism by sharing an AI-generated video on X that depicted Trump being carried by several men and thrown into a trash bin labeled "HAZARDOUS WASTE."
The clip, captioned "The U.S. midterm elections," circulated Wednesday after the Democratic victories became clear. The post offered another example of Tehran using Trump's domestic political troubles to publicly criticize his administration.
Iran's Supreme Leader struck a more cautious tone in his own response.
According to a message published on his official website, Mojtaba Khamenei said those expecting a change in Washington's policy toward Tehran because of the election results were "greatly mistaken."
He also warned that another U.S. attack would prompt a response on a much larger scale. The written statement was released to coincide with Iran's annual November 4 commemoration of the 1979 takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran.
Strait of Hormuz Tensions Raise Fears of Further Escalation
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Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz after U.S.-Israeli strikes contributed to rising fuel prices.
The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) warned that renewed large-scale U.S.-Israeli strikes, particularly against Iranian infrastructure, could trigger widespread retaliation against economic targets throughout the region.
In its report, ACLED recorded more than 30 Iranian maritime attacks during October. It also documented five additional U.S. strikes against Iran between October 19 and 30, targeting missile launchers, naval facilities and air defense systems along the country's southern coast.
The organization said diplomatic efforts remained possible, although the risk of a wider confrontation was increasing.
The conflict began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on February 28, 2026, and subsequently spread across the region.
An April ceasefire and a June memorandum of understanding failed to produce a lasting settlement, with fighting later resuming. Disagreements over sanctions, Iran's nuclear program and control of the Strait of Hormuz have continued to complicate negotiations.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard also claimed that four oil tankers had caught fire after striking naval mines near the strait. Reuters reported that the military's account could not be independently verified.
Separate maritime authorities reported vessel incidents in the area, adding to concerns about the safety of commercial shipping.
