Iran celebrates US midterm results as Trump setback, but war fears persist

Iranian officials and media celebrated the US midterm election results as a defeat for President Donald Trump, with a billboard in Tehran declaring "We will kill Trump" and some leaders claiming Iran influenced the outcome. The results coincided with the anniversary of the 1979 US embassy seizure. Iranian politicians, including parliament members and scholars, expressed triumphalism, asserting the elections represented a blow to US aggression and a vindication of Iran's resistance. However, Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned against expecting policy shifts from partisan changes, while chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf urged Trump to accept the public's verdict against war. The article notes uncertainty over whether either side will alter strategy, with China sending an envoy to the region and Gulf states urging reflection. Some analysts predict Trump may launch an attack on Iran before the new Congress convenes in January, as war advocates pressure him to "finish the job."