'Americans said no to war': Iran on US midterms as Trump admits conflict hurt Republicans

Iran's chief negotiator with the United States, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, has said that Americans had voted against war, warning Washington against going against public opinion, as US President Donald Trump acknowledged that the conflict with Iran contributed to Republican losses in Tuesday's midterm elections."Conscience or the cost of living, Americans said NO TO WAR, and we endorse this message," Ghalibaf said in a post on X. "If the US govt betrays their public will to serve international paymasters and blackmailers, it will learn our NO comes with a Nightmare."Trump acknowledged that the war had weighed on Republican candidates, with voters potentially unwilling to bear its economic consequences, particularly rising fuel prices. However, he maintained that voters understood the importance of his actions against Iran."I think a part of it was Iran, but at the same time people understood the importance of what I've done with Iran," Trump said. He added that voters were "probably not willing for the short-term consequence of the price of gasoline".According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump also said he did not regret launching the war earlier this year.The United States and Israel jointly launched the war against Iran on February 28, seeking to destabilise its regime and destroy its ballistic missile and nuclear programmes.In June, Iran agreed to a memorandum of understanding with the United States outlining a pathway towards a permanent settlement of the conflict. However, the agreement quickly unravelled, with both sides accusing each other of violating its terms.Meanwhile, Iranian officials have repeatedly warned of wide-ranging retaliation if the United States resumes the war.The remarks came as Democrats recorded gains in several key races, including in states that Trump had carried in the 2024 presidential election. Democrats won Senate and gubernatorial contests in Georgia, Ohio and Texas, while also making gains in North Carolina, New Hampshire and Kansas.In Ohio, former state health official Amy Acton defeated Trump-backed Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy in the gubernatorial race, while former senator Sherrod Brown won a Republican-held Senate seat. In Texas, Democrat James Talarico won a Senate seat, and Hinojosa defeated three-term Republican Governor Greg Abbott.In Georgia, Senator Jon Ossoff secured re-election, while Lance Bottoms won the gubernatorial race. Former North Carolina governor Roy Cooper also won the Senate election.Democrats' gains extended to South Carolina, where Annie Andrews defeated Darline Graham, Trump's handpicked candidate to replace the late Senator Lindsey Graham. In New Hampshire, Democrat Chris Pappas won the Senate race, while Adam Hamilton defeated incumbent Republican Senator Roger Marshall in Kansas.Democrats are also on course to secure a majority in the House, where Republicans began the current Congress with a narrow 220-215 advantage. They are targeting more than 60 congressional districts, including several where Trump won by double-digit margins in 2024.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.