Tehran crowds celebrate US midterm results as war tensions persist

Tens of thousands of Iranians took to the streets of Tehran on Wednesday to mark the anniversary of the 1979 embassy takeover and to react to the United States midterm elections. The crowds gathered to celebrate the Democratic Party’s capture of both chambers of Congress, a result that Iranian officials framed as a public rebuke of President Donald Trump’s war strategy.

Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, the Supreme Leader, posted a letter on social media stating that those who believe a change in US political parties will alter Washington’s hostility toward Iran are gravely mistaken. Khamenei, who has not appeared in public since the war began in late February, warned that giving concessions to America would not dissuade its aggression. He emphasized that partisan shifts within the US system of domination should not lead to false hope for a change in behavior.

The election results in Texas and across the country were driven by frustration over rising fuel and food prices, which many voters attributed to the economic impact of the war. Democrats won control of the House and Senate, marking a sharp setback for Trump and the Republican Party. This political shift occurred just one day after limited strikes hit Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz, renewing regional anxieties about a resumption of full-scale military operations.

Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, Iran’s parliament speaker and chief negotiator, wrote on X that Americans said no to war and that Iran endorses this message. Qalibaf warned that if the US government betrays the public will to serve international paymasters, it will learn that Iran’s no comes with a nightmare. The Foreign Ministry spokesperson echoed this sentiment, stating that the US must not ignore the clear message sent by voters or face consequences that extend beyond what has already been witnessed.

In Tehran, demonstrators burned American and Israeli flags and chanted slogans including death to America and death to Israel. Protesters displayed effigies of President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Hananeh Jahed, a demonstrator, said that Trump had gone too far in everything, which was one reason for his electoral defeat. Zahra Nadiminejad noted that US voters finally understood that they could not simply enter Iran and do as they pleased.

Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani addressed the crowd, claiming that the US and Israel had suffered a massive defeat. He attributed this result to the steadfastness and strength of the Iranian nation, stating that even political rivals in the US acknowledged the failure was due to Iranian ingenuity and perseverance. Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejehi, the hard-line judiciary chief, posted on social media that Trump failed in both war and politics and that Iran would impose even more defeats upon him.

Military confrontations have continued despite ceasefire agreements and diplomatic efforts. Explosions were reported Monday on Qeshm and Hengam islands and near the port city of Bandar Abbas. Iranian authorities have not publicly identified the specific sites struck or disclosed the extent of the damage. The Strait of Hormuz, which carried about a fifth of the world’s oil supply before the war, has seen repeated incidents involving commercial shipping while Iran restricts passage and the US maintains a naval blockade.

Back-channel negotiations continue as Israel and Middle Eastern allies lobby Washington. US Vice President JD Vance said Monday that he and President Trump feel good about the prospects for a negotiated settlement. The US has thousands of troops in waters off Iran to maintain the blockade, with another aircraft carrier and additional troops on their way to the region.

The war began on Feb. 28 when the US and Israel launched attacks that killed longtime Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The conflict has disrupted global energy markets and shipping. The 1979 hostage crisis, in which 52 Americans were held for 444 days, helped cement the rupture between the two countries, which have lacked formal diplomatic relations for years.