TEHRAN, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) — Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Wednesday warned that neither partisan changes in the United States nor concessions to Washington would end U.S. hostility toward the Iranian nation.
“If there are still individuals who pin even the slightest hope on a shift in the U.S. behavior, or partisan changes within the hegemonic system, or imagine that by granting concessions to the United States, they can dissuade it from its hostility toward the Iranian nation, they are gravely mistaken,” Khamenei said in a message to mark the anniversary of the 1979 takeover of the U.S. embassy in Tehran.
He said the only way to achieve a state of “absolute deterrence” is to continue to make Iran stronger, noting that “on this path, (national) solidarity and unity, and social cohesion serve as the fundamental pillars of success.”
The supreme leader said that should the “acts of aggression” be repeated, Iran’s fight will expand to encompass a much broader scope.
Democrats are projected to flip control of the U.S. Senate after winning several key races in battleground states, securing control of both chambers of Congress in the midterm elections, election forecasting agency Decision Desk HQ reported late Tuesday.
Reacting to the U.S. election’s results in a post on social media platform X, Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said on Wednesday, “Conscience or the cost of living, Americans said NO TO WAR, and we endorse this message.”
Meanwhile, Iranians on Wednesday took to the streets across the country to mark the anniversary of the 1979 takeover of the U.S. embassy in Tehran.
The rallies were held concurrently in Tehran and 900 other cities and villages, drawing participants from various walks of life, including officials and military commanders, according to Iranian media.
In Tehran, the marchers strongly condemned the “flagrant U.S.-Israeli aggression” against Iran and its sovereignty and people, and called for revenge for those killed during the 40-day war, according to the official news agency IRNA.
In an address to the marchers, Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani said the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz hinges on the U.S. commitment to its obligations and implementation of practical measures.
The event commemorates Nov. 4, 1979, when Iranian students stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran and seized dozens of hostages in a standoff that lasted more than a year.
On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities.
Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. bases and assets in the region, and tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz.
A ceasefire was achieved between the warring parties on April 8. On June 18, Iran and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on ending the war in the region on all fronts.
Under the MoU, the two countries were scheduled to hold negotiations within 60 days, ending on Aug. 17, to reach a final agreement on Iran’s nuclear program and the removal of sanctions. However, they failed to make sufficient progress toward a deal as tensions continued to escalate.
