Iran's Supreme Leader Dismisses Midterm Impact on US Hostility, Citing Deep Misconception

Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has asserted that any belief in the midterm election results altering Washington's stance towards Tehran is a "deeply mistaken" notion. "Anyone who still clings to even a slim hope that the system of domination might change its behavior or undergo party and factional shifts, or who believes that concessions to US could turn it away from its hostility toward the Iranian nation, is deeply mistaken," Khamenei was quoted as saying by the Iranian state-backed outlet, IRNA.

The Supreme Leader has not made a public appearance since his appointment in late February, following the deaths of his father and predecessor earlier this year due to US-Israeli strikes. The joint US-Israeli military action in Iran became a significant focus during the campaigns leading up to the midterms. This was particularly due to the regional violence that escalated earlier this year, causing a surge in gas and diesel prices for millions of families globally, including those in the US.