Iran Update, November 4, 2026

Iranian authorities are characterizing sweeping midterm election defeats for U.S. President Donald Trump's Republican Party as a clear rejection by the American public of the war on Iran, according to Daily Kos. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Galibaf stated on X that Americans said no to war, adding that if the U.S. government betrays public will, it will learn that Iran's refusal comes with a nightmare. Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, head of the Iranian judiciary, asserted that Trump was defeated in both war and politics. Analysts cited by Daily Kos noted that Democratic victories could make Iran's leadership even more adamant about ending the conflict that began on February 28. CBS News reported that Brent crude oil prices rose 2.2% to $96.70 a barrel, partially recovering from a nearly 9% drop following the midterms. Meanwhile, CBS News noted that the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier strike group will make a port call in Singapore and will not reach the Middle East for at least two weeks, though two other carrier strike groups remain in the region. Diplomatic and military maneuvers continued alongside the political fallout. CBS News reported that Iranian Supreme National Security Council Secretary Major General Mohsen Rezaei met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow to discuss bilateral ties, including the construction of a gas pipeline allowing Iran to import Russian gas and resell it. Daily Kos and CBS News both noted that Rezaei characterized the U.S. response to Iran's maximalist demands as inadequate during his discussions in Russia. CBS News reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held phone calls with officials from nine Middle East countries, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey, to discuss regional stability. According to CBS News, the Saudi-led coalition air defense systems intercepted two ballistic missiles launched by Houthi rebels toward Najran, while the Houthis claimed responsibility for a drone strike that disrupted navigation at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam. Additionally, CBS News reported that Iran's Revolutionary Guards stated two oil tankers hit mines and caught fire in and near the Strait of Hormuz after deactivating navigation systems, following a reported five tankers and a tugboat catching fire in similar incidents earlier in the week, though maritime officials have not confirmed these incidents.