Iran has threatened to deploy "new weapons" against the United States if Donald Trump's administration escalates strikes against the nation, following its midterm election defeat.
Mohammad Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran's parliament, stated that "Conscience or the cost of living, Americans said NO TO WAR, and we endorse this message." He added, "If the US [government] betrays their public will to serve international paymasters and blackmailers, it will learn our NO comes with a Nightmare."
The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) referred to the U.S. midterm election outcomes as a "disaster" for Trump, attributing it to "America's heavy defeat in the war it started against Iran." An IRGC spokesman indicated that any actions by the U.S. or Israel would be met with a different response than before, utilizing "a new doctrine and new conventional weapons technology."
These warnings come after the U.S. conducted "defensive" strikes on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. The island has been militarized by Iran, reportedly housing facilities for launching anti-ship missiles and drones from underground locations. Simultaneously, the U.S. has amassed a significant naval presence in the Arabian Sea, including two carrier strike groups, fueling concerns of impending U.S. military action.
President Trump, however, stated he had no immediate plans to strike Iran but maintained that the U.S. was "locked and loaded if we need to go." He expressed satisfaction with the current standoff, suggesting "we seem to be getting everything we want," but reiterated readiness for further action if necessary.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously advocated for further strikes on Iran after the U.S. midterm elections. Iran's supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, voiced distrust in the U.S., warning that political shifts or concessions would not deter its hostility. He accused Washington of seeking Iran's unconditional surrender and cautioned that any "inclination towards surrendering to the hegemonic enemy will squander the enormous gains achieved."