Iran Over the Moon With US Election Results

The eyes of the world were on America as voters headed to the polls for the Nov. 3 midterm elections. When Democrats swept the board and turned much of the country blue, the results sent political shockwaves far beyond US borders. Perhaps no country celebrated more openly than Iran, which took to social media to call the United States “Satan” and signaled it would not bow to US pressure. Meanwhile, world leaders offered a mixture of relief, optimism, and concern over what the election results could mean for their countries and their relationships with America.

Iran Rejoices as Democrats Steal the Show

It’s no secret Iran was watching election night with wide eyes and bated breath. A Republican win would likely mean a continuation of the war, but a Democratic win could mean an end to it, or at least make it less aggressive.

"The process of the US’s collapse has accelerated," Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, posted on X.

"Conscience or the cost of living, Americans said NO TO WAR, and we endorse this message," Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who has also served as Tehran's chief negotiator in talks with Washington, posted on X. "If the US govt betrays their public will to serve international paymasters and blackmailers, it will learn our NO comes with a Nightmare." 

Then Khamenei spelled it out plainly on X:

"The Great Satan [the US] wants the surrender of the Iranian nation. The slightest inclination toward submission would cause the immense capital acquired through the blessings brought by the blood of our martyrs and the sacrifices of the entire Iranian nation to be lost. It would embolden the enemy to launch more wars, and carry out its next acts of aggression."

While the leaders of Iran may have been the most outspoken, they were definitely not the only ones to share their opinions on the midterm outcomes, good and bad.

Other World Leaders Have a Say

“I was doing cartwheels down the street,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford told reporters. Canada has been hit by President Donald Trump’s tariffs, especially on automobiles and steel. Ford said the Democratic victory was a win for Canada and the world, saying it gave the country “a little more leverage.”

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Spain’s social democratic Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote on X that Americans had voted “Against hate. Against machismo. Against climate denialism and against the privileges of the elites.” He added: “It happened in Brazil. It just happened in the US. And it will happen soon in Spain.” He faces an election on Nov. 29, and his country is currently in the throes of protests for housing affordability and retirement benefits.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre told Reuters: “This is a powerful political signal about a change of course among American voters. Voices are now emerging in American politics that are closer to us than the president and the administration have stood for, for example on climate and environment, and in foreign policy and development aid policy."

Meanwhile, Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said most Americans had sent a clear message that “they have had enough of MAGA and now want a different course. Enough of polarization.”

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš gave a warning about politics. “In my view, this means that until the end of President Trump’s term, it will be all about impeachment and vetoes, and a certain kind of paralysis. On the other hand, President Trump will almost certainly continue to do exactly as he pleases. Let’s hope he finally returns to his promise to end the war in Ukraine and resolve the conflict in the Strait of Hormuz.”

Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken didn’t seem very optimistic, posting on X: "Governing in the United States will be almost impossible in the coming years given the level of internal division and polarisation. As a European politician I will mainly look of course to trade policies, support to Ukraine and NATO."

Bernd Lange, a member of the European Parliament and head of the Parliament’s International Trade Committee, had quite a bit to say, reacting on X:

"Crushing blow to Trump and his policies. Major victory for American democracy. Voters have spoken: Trump only cares about Trump. Now he's ⁠paying the price for it. No amount of shouting 'fake news' can change these facts.

“But what happens next? Will Republicans continue to stand behind Trump? Let's not be naive. He has spent past years largely governing around Congress. [A] weakened Trump could become more aggressive and unpredictable. A lame duck could quickly turn into an angry duck.

“For EU, this is an opportunity and warning. More democratic influence could bring greater predictability and dialogue. But US protectionism won't disappear. EU cannot live at Trump's mercy! Transatlantic partnership matters but EU must be able to act independently and defend its interests.”

A statement published on Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei’s official website suggests that Tehran doesn’t expect the election results to change the US’s approach to the war with Iran: "If there are still people who harbor even the slightest hope for a change in behavior or for party and factional shifts within the system of domination, or who believe that by making concessions to America they can dissuade it from hostility toward the Iranian nation, they are gravely mistaken.”

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The international response shows just how much America's elections affect countries far beyond its borders. However, not every reaction was high-fives or doom and gloom. Many world leaders were diplomatic in their responses, congratulating the winners and expressing a desire to maintain good relations with America.

While some welcomed the Democratic victory as an opportunity for better relations with Washington, others worried about political gridlock and continued uncertainty. Iran, meanwhile, seemed more interested in celebrating America's political divisions than finding a path toward peace. The election may have given Democrats control of Congress, but President Trump still holds the White House, and foreign leaders will have to figure out how to deal with both sides of a divided Washington.