Iranian parliament speaker mocks U.S. vice president's post-election war critique
Iran's parliament speaker rebuked Vice President JD Vance for linking the Republican midterm losses to the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, while Vance outlined steps he says are needed for the party's recovery.
Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, responded sharply on Thursday to a lengthy post by U.S. Vice President JD Vance that attributed the Republican Party’s recent midterm defeat to the ongoing war with Iran. Ghalibaf wrote on X, "Losing gambler energy, can’t walk away from the table. Boss is prepping the next war phase while America teeters on an Israel-First cliff. Skip the TED talk. Why not say this to your boss?"
Vance’s 614-word message, posted less than a day after the Republicans suffered a nationwide loss, listed four actions he believes are necessary to restore voter support: ending the war, addressing cost-of-living pressures, adopting an "America First" stance, and revising the United States’ relationship with Israel. > "The reason we lost is the war," Vance said, marking his first post-election attempt to distance himself from the conflict that President Donald Trump has defended.
The conflict began on Feb. 28 when U.S. and Israeli forces struck Iranian targets, prompting Tehran to retaliate against U.S. interests in the Middle East and threaten navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil and gas shipping lane. The resulting tensions have driven up fuel and fertilizer prices, contributing to higher living costs in the United States and a challenging electoral environment for Republicans.