Iran parl. speaker says Americans voted 'no to war', warns Trump against betraying public will
Iran's parliament speaker and chief negotiator in talks with the United States has hailed the American public's overwhelming rejection of US President Donald Trump's Republican Party in the Congress midterm votes, warning of dire consequences should Washington attempt to override the will of voters by launching another war on Iran.
"Conscience or the cost of living, Americans said NO TO WAR, and we endorse this message," Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf posted on X following the Democratic Party's sweeping victory in the US midterm elections.
"If the US govt betrays their public will to serve international paymasters and blackmailers, it will learn our NO comes with a Nightmare," he warned.
Qalibaf's remarks came after Democrats seized full control of the US Congress on Tuesday, capturing both the Senate and House of Representatives in a stunning nationwide rejection of President Donald Trump and his Republican Party.
The results reflected deep public anger over soaring living costs, controversial tariffs, and Trump's war against Iran, which has sent fuel prices skyrocketing and compounded widespread dissatisfaction with an already deeply unpopular president.
Despite his history of questioning electoral results, Trump struck a surprisingly conciliatory tone, telling The New York Times he was "absolutely willing" to accept the results.
"I think the Democrats did a good job, I really do," Trump told Fox News. "They fought hard."
However, he sought to distance himself from his party's poor showing, insisting he did not "view it as a hit on me."
While acknowledging that the war on Iran had contributed to the defeat, he defended the war and suggested rival parties could find common ground on immigration.
The US midterm elections come at a critical juncture in the US-Israeli war on Iran, which was triggered by strikes in February 2026.
The war has been at a stalemate for months, punctuated by sporadic exchanges of fire amid persistent fears of a full-scale resumption of hostilities.
The economic fallout from the war, particularly the surge in fuel prices, played a significant role in shaping American voter sentiment.
With Democrats now controlling both chambers of Congress, the new legislative majority will have the authority to pursue investigations into the conduct of the war on Iran, potentially blocking further military escalations and scrutinizing the administration's foreign policy decisions.