Iranian leaders credit economic costs for Republican losses

Iranian officials declared victory on Wednesday, attributing the Republican Party's loss of both chambers of Congress in Tuesday's midterm elections to American voter frustration with the cost of living and the ongoing war.

The results shifted control of the House and Senate to Democrats. This outcome follows a conflict that has lasted more than eight months and disrupted global energy markets.

Three key developments shaped the reaction in Tehran: the direct linkage of election results to domestic inflation, the continuation of diplomatic back channels despite fresh military strikes, and the commemoration of the 1979 embassy seizure which reinforced hard-line rhetoric.

Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, Iran's parliament speaker and chief negotiator, wrote on X that Americans rejected war due to the cost of living. He warned that if the U.S. government betrays its public will, it will face a nightmare. Qalibaf stated that the U.S. rejection of the war is a message Iran endorses.

Ali Nikzad, the deputy parliament speaker, told lawmakers on Wednesday that U.S. sanctions failed to break Iran's economy. He described the Republican defeat as an aftershock of the Iranian people's resistance. The U.S. maintained a naval blockade of Iranian ports throughout the period, with thousands of troops positioned in the waters off Iran.

Context for the election results includes the war launched on Feb. 28 by the United States and Israel. The initial strikes killed longtime Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, has not been seen publicly since the war began. In a letter shared on social media, the new Supreme Leader said those hoping for a change in U.S. behavior due to partisan shifts are gravely mistaken.

Military activity continued ahead of the vote. The U.S. carried out limited strikes on Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. Explosions were reported on Qeshm and Hengam islands and near Bandar Abbas. The strait handles about a fifth of the world's oil supply. Iran restricted shipping through the waterway, while the U.S. enforced its blockade.

Diplomatic efforts persisted as Israel lobbied for more strikes. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, pushed for additional attacks during a weekend call with President Donald Trump. Two regional officials and a third person familiar with the matter reported that mediators were working on a framework where Iran halts attacks in the strait in exchange for the U.S. lifting its blockade. Vice President JD Vance said on Monday that he and the president felt good about prospects for a negotiated settlement before news of the latest strikes emerged.