By Basant El-Faramawy
Iran this week unveiled a large billboard and banners across Enqelab Square in central Tehran declaring in English: "We will kill Trump." The display, which depicts the US president behind bars with his head bowed, reflects the heightened personal animus toward Donald Trump in official Iranian circles following the US midterm election results.
Iranian Officials Celebrate Election Outcome
The midterm results, which dealt a significant blow to Trump's Republican party, have sparked triumphalism among Iranian hardliners. Conservative MP Meisam Zohurian stated the joy "has nothing to do with the arrival of this party or the departure of that party. The issue is the aggressor was smeared in the dirt and Iran had an impact on the result." Ali Nikzad, first deputy speaker of parliament, called the defeats "aftershocks of Trump's defeat by the Iranian people." International relations scholar Ehsan Movaheidian claimed Iran had "succeeded in regime change in America" and predicted the same would soon happen in Europe.
Supreme Leader Warns Against Policy Shift Hopes
Despite the celebrations, Iran's supreme leader warned that anyone expecting a shift in US policy was "seriously mistaken." Mojtaba Khamenei wrote that those hoping partisan shifts or concessions could dissuade US hostility toward Iran were deluded. Other officials predicted further electoral defeats for European "warmongers" and the expulsion of US bases from the Middle East.
Diplomatic Pressure and Nuclear Negotiations
Iran's chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, urged Trump to accept the election verdict, posting on social media: "Whether driven by conscience or the cost of living, America said no to war and we endorse this message." He added that if the US government betrayed public will to serve "international paymasters and blackmailers, it will learn our 'no' comes with a nightmare." Meanwhile, China is reportedly testing a deal in which Iran would "downblend" its highly enriched uranium stockpile under international supervision, with a Chinese special envoy traveling to Oman, Iran, and Saudi Arabia.
Risk of Military Escalation
With two months before the new Congress convenes in January, Trump faces reduced accountability and greater latitude. Trump allies such as Laura Loomer are pressuring him to "finish the job" against Iran, while Benjamin Netanyahu has touted intelligence suggesting Iran is preparing chemical weapons use. Hillary Clinton predicted Trump would likely launch the long-delayed attack, saying he would "feel trapped, angry and resentful and he will react aggressively." Trump has claimed Iran has "very few missiles and drones left" and that the US "can end it any time," though such optimism has proven unreliable in the past.
