New Delhi: The United States president, Donald Trump, is considering fresh military action against Iran or a diplomatic agreement with Tehran. The Republican Party’s midterm losses have added to pressure on his administration to reconsider the conflict.
Trump said on Wednesday that the war had contributed to rising gasoline prices. However, he defended the decision to attack Iran, saying, “We had no choice. You can’t let Iran have a nuclear weapon.” He also said he would take the same decision again if necessary.
Asked when the conflict would end, Trump responded, “Whenever I wanted to. But it’s got to be done right, because they can’t have a nuclear weapon.”
Trump has acknowledged the political cost of the war but remains undecided about his next move. The vice-president, JD Vance, is reportedly pushing for negotiations with Tehran, while other advisers favour continued military and economic pressure, Axios reported.
The US military is also preparing for a possible resumption of major combat operations. Additional military assets are being sent to the region. Meanwhile, Qatar is mediating between Washington and Tehran to secure support for a draft agreement that could prevent renewed fighting and restart direct talks.
The Iranian leaders are celebrating Republican defeat, linking it to American opposition to the war. The Iranian parliament speaker and chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said voters had rejected the conflict and its economic consequences.
In a post on X, Ghalibaf wrote, “Conscience or the cost of living, Americans said NO TO WAR, and we endorse this message.” He warned Washington against ignoring public opinion to serve external interests, adding that it would face a “nightmare” if it betrayed voters’ will.
Ghalibaf issued another sharp response in a subsequent post on X, taking aim at Trump’s continued military preparations and Washington’s relationship with Israel. “Losing gambler energy, can’t walk away from the table. Boss is prepping the next war phase while America teeters on an Israel-First cliff. Skip the TED talk. Why not say this to your boss?” he wrote.
The Iran’s supreme national security council secretary, Mohsen Rezaei, also described the Republican defeat as a victory for Tehran. “The Iranian nation handed Trump a strategic defeat on the battlefield and in the Hormuz — and a POLITICAL DEFEAT in Washington,” he wrote on X. He added that Americans were now paying the price for the war.
Vance also directly blamed the Iran war for the Republican Party’s electoral setback. In a post on X on Wednesday, he wrote, “The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night.”
He questioned whether the conflict was worth the political cost, saying, “If you’d like to argue it was worth it, that losing the senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so.” Vance added that any honest discussion about the party’s future must begin with the reasons behind the defeat.
Vance said voters who switched from Republicans to Democrats were mainly concerned about ending the war, rising living costs, the America First agenda and the US relationship with Israel. He said the defeat reflected a loss of support among former Trump voters rather than low voter turnout.
Meanwhile, the Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, dismissed expectations that changes in US political leadership would alter Washington’s hostile approach towards Tehran. In a message marking Iran’s National Day of Fighting Global Arrogance on Wednesday, he said those expecting a shift in US policy or an end to its hostility were mistaken. He also called for national unity and continued resistance against American pressure, Tansim news agency reported.
The developments come as diplomatic efforts continue to prevent another round of fighting. However, US military preparations suggest that renewed strikes remain an option for Trump.