WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump defended his decision to wage war against Iran, calling it “absolutely correct” in an interview with POLITICO on Tuesday.
His remarks came as Democrats secured control of both chambers of Congress in a major midterm setback for Republicans, prompting Tehran to claim that the conflict had contributed to the president’s political defeat.
Iranian officials quickly celebrated the election results, portraying the Democratic victory as a rejection of Trump's military campaign and its economic consequences, particularly rising living costs and energy prices.
“Conscience or the cost of living, Americans said no to war, and we endorse this message,” Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf wrote on X as election results emerged.
Ghalibaf, who has played a prominent role in negotiations to end the months-long conflict, also warned Washington against restarting large-scale military operations.
“If the U.S. govt betrays their public will to serve international paymasters and blackmailers, it will learn our no comes with a nightmare,” he wrote.
Thousands took to the streets across Iran to mark 47 years since the 1979 U.S. Embassy takeover in Tehran. The rallies came as Democrats claimed control of both chambers of Congress in the US midterms.
Tehran had closely monitored the U.S. midterm elections, with Iranian negotiators reportedly delaying recent talks in an effort to keep gas prices elevated and increase public frustration with the Trump administration.
Tasnim News Agency, affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), published the headline: “War on Iran emerges as major factor in Republicans’ Midterm defeat.”
Meanwhile, Iran's state-run IRNA described the results as a “heavy defeat for Trump and his supporters,” pointing to growing dissatisfaction with the U.S. president and the war.
Anti-war voices in Washington also viewed the election outcome as a setback for Trump's Iran policy. “The Democrats didn’t win the midterms,” Trita Parsi, co-founder of the Quincy Institute, wrote on social media. “Iran did.”
However, Tehran's celebration may be premature as Trump has not ruled out further military action. Although the president repeatedly pledged not to resume a full-scale assault on Iran before the midterm elections, he made no similar commitment for the period afterward.
Trump has even suggested that the United States could “finish the job.” Despite acknowledging that the conflict contributed to the Republican Party's poor election performance, Trump maintained that launching the war against Tehran was justified.
The election results could also trigger a new political battle in Washington. With Democrats gaining control of Congress, lawmakers are expected to intensify investigations into the administration's handling of the Iran war, national security decisions and other major policy issues.
The political fallout could further complicate Trump's foreign policy agenda, particularly as European allies and other international partners watch developments in Washington closely.
