Iran’s parliament speaker says US voters rejected war, Tehran backs this message

Amid major election losses for the US political party that largely supported the Iran war, Iran’s parliament speaker said Wednesday that Americans had rejected war, adding that Tehran supports this message. “Whether out of conscience or the cost of living, Americans said NO TO WAR, and we endorse this message,” Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said in a statement on US social media platform X. He warned that if the US government betrays the will of its people to serve “international paymasters and blackmailers,” it would face a “nightmare.”

The remarks came after US midterm elections on Tuesday, in which Democrats were projected to win control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives, in a setback for President Donald Trump -- who launched the war on Iran this February, along with Israel -- and his Republican Party. Meanwhile, Qatar continues to mediate between Washington and Tehran amid tensions over the US naval blockade and security in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran said Monday that it was still exchanging messages with the US through mediators and that reopening the strait depends on Washington ending the blockade.