Iran sees opening after Trump midterms setback but warns of wider conflict
According to The National, Iranian officials have framed the Republican party's midterm election setback as evidence that Donald Trump's war policy is backfiring. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated on X that Americans have said 'no' to war, warning that if the US continues, it will face a 'nightmare'. Mohsen Rezaei, chief of the Supreme National Security Council, described the result as a strategic defeat for Mr. Trump in the battlefield and a political defeat in Washington. Meanwhile, Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei dismissed expectations of any change in the 'hegemonic system' due to partisan shifts. Despite the rhetoric of victory, Brig. Gen. Esmail Qaani, commander of the IRGC's Quds Force, warned that the 'entire resistance' is one front and that conflict could extend to the Strait of Hormuz and Bab Al Mandeb. Reports suggest Iran is preparing for further attacks rather than seeking a diplomatic breakthrough, though analysts like Ali Vaez warn that Tehran might miscalculate, as Mr. Trump's political weakness at home does not diminish US military capacity.