# Iran War Shifts After Midterms

> Iranian leaders claim U.S. midterm losses signal rejection of Trump's war policy.
- Title: Iran War Shifts After Midterms · TIME | Shortify
- Summary: Iranian leaders claim U.S. midterm losses signal rejection of Trump's war policy. Democrats gain Congress control to challenge U.S.
- Keywords: iran, us midterm elections, trump, iranian supreme national security counci, mohsen rezaei, mojtaba khamenei, vance, peter hegseth, congress, democrats, republicans, iranian parliament speaker
- Source: TIME — https://time.com/article/2026/11/05/iran-us-midterms-republicans-democrats-war-trump-hegseth
- Author: Miranda Jeyaretnam
- Published: 2026-11-05T09:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: iran, us midterm elections, trump, iranian supreme national security counci, mohsen rezaei, mojtaba khamenei, vance, peter hegseth, congress, democrats, republicans, iranian parliament speaker
## Iranian leaders hail midterm win
Iranian leaders hailed the Democratic landslide in the U.S. midterms as a rejection of President Donald Trump’s war against Iran.

> The Iranian nation handed trump a strategic defeat on the battlefield
## Khamenei calls for U.S. collapse
Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei posted that the process of the US’s collapse has accelerated.

> The process of the US’s collapse has accelerated
## Democrats gain Congress control
Democrats will take control of both chambers of Congress in January, giving them new leverage to challenge the U.S. and Israeli war effort.
## Republicans blame war for losses
Some Republicans had already broken ranks to call for an end to the war, now blaming the party’s midterm losses on the war.
## Vance links loss to war
Vice President J.D. Vance posted that the reason they lost is the war.

> The reason we lost is the war
## Qalibaf endorses American opposition
Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammed-Baqer Qalibaf characterized potential further attacks on Iran as a betrayal of the American public.

> Conscience or the cost of living, americans said no to war, and we endorse this message
## Baqaei accuses Trump of war
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei accused Trump of dragging the U.S. into an unlawful and atrocious war against Iran.

> Your calculations failed, your assumptions collapsed, and your strategic misjudgments became painfully evident
## Hegseth faces impeachment threat
Rep. Thomas Massie wants to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who was an early advocate for the war.
## Trump considers Hegseth replacement
Trump reportedly spoke to advisers about whether Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth should be replaced.
## Democrats vow to end war
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer vowed to push for an end to the war following their midterm victory.

> We are going to end the war
## Democrats seek Israel aid cuts
Some Democrats want to reduce U.S. military aid to Israel, calling it support for apartheid and genocide.

> We don’t want our money sent to do apartheid, or genocide, or war
## Iran hardens stance on negotiations
Iran may harden its stance in negotiations and press for U.S. concessions after midterm results.

> If there are still those who entertain the slightest hope that the hegemonic system may change behavior or shifts in its political parties may bring about change, they’re gravely mistaken
## Key takeaway

Democrats gain Congress control to challenge U.S. and Israeli war efforts after Trump's Iran policy faces backlash.