The president of the Iranian Parliament and Teheran’s chief negotiator, Mohamad Baqer Qalibaf, has responded with sarcasm this Thursday to the analysis by United States vice president JD Vance, who links the war with Iran to the collapse of the Republican Party in the midterm elections. Qalibaf has also urged that these conclusions be taken directly to the American president, Donald Trump.
In his reply, Qalibaf described Vance’s position as "The stance of a gambler who is losing and cannot leave the table," in reference to the extensive message with which the vice president defended his thesis about the impact of the conflict. Following this, he accused Washington of continuing to fuel the confrontation by pointing out that "Your boss is preparing the next phase of the war while the United States is staggering at the edge of the abyss of 'Israel first.'"
The Iranian leader has asked Vance to leave behind public speeches and move on to action, by telling him to "stop with the lectures." In a message shared on social media, he launched a direct jab at the vice president: "Why not say this to your boss?" after Trump’s 'number two' raised whether defeat in the 'midterms' was "a price worth paying" for the conflict launched after the February 28 offensive by the United States and Israel against Iran.
In his post-election analysis, Vance emphasized that "The real reason why we lost is obvious to almost everyone." In his view, "The reason why we lost is the war. The president himself (Donald Trump) said it last night. If you want to argue that (...) losing the Senate for the next six years was worth it, go ahead. Argue that it was a price worth paying," lamented the Republican vice president.
The midterm elections have meant a severe blow for the Republican Party, as they confirmed the Democrats’ most optimistic predictions and ensured control of both chambers of the United States Congress. In addition, they have achieved major wins in several governor races, with historic results in key states such as Texas, Ohio and Georgia, thereby consolidating their position of power at the federal and state level.