Pro-regime crowds in Tehran burn banner of US leaders after Republican defeat in US midterms

Pro-regime supporters in Tehran assembled in Enghelab Square on Wednesday evening to set fire to a massive banner that featured images of former US President Donald Trump, his vice‑presidential candidate JD Vance, US envoy Steve Witkoff and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The demonstration took place just hours after the United States midterm elections delivered a decisive defeat for the Republican Party, ending the party’s hopes of retaining control of Congress.

Iranian authorities promptly released remarks hailing the Republican defeat, framing the electoral result as a rejection of Trump’s conflict with Iran. Mojtaba Khamenei, the current supreme leader of Iran who took office following the death of his father Ali Khamenei in February’s attacks, stated that the decline of the United States has sped up. National broadcast channels additionally displayed a staged execution of Trump in Tehran’s Tajrish Square, featuring a performer wearing a mask of the former president and an orange jail jumpsuit.

Background

The banner burning formed part of a broader wave of public displays orchestrated by Iran’s regime in response to heightened tensions with the United States. Earlier in the year, Iranian authorities had warned of preparing for the worst amid ongoing sanctions and regional conflicts. The death of former supreme leader Ali Khamenei in February, during strikes attributed to Israel and the US, intensified anti‑American sentiment within the country. Since then, state media has repeatedly highlighted perceived US aggression, linking domestic repression to external threats.

The US midterm elections of 2026 saw the Republican Party lose a substantial number of seats in both the House and Senate, effectively ending its control of Congress. The results were widely interpreted as a rebuke of the party’s foreign‑policy agenda, particularly its hard‑line stance toward Iran and its support for Israel. In Tehran, the defeat was seized upon by officials as evidence that US influence was waning, reinforcing narratives that the regime’s preparations for potential conflict were justified.

Why it matters

The public burning of the banner underscores the Iranian government’s reliance on external adversaries to rally domestic support, a tactic that can exacerbate internal repression. Iranian journalists, such as Mehnaz—a Tehran‑based reporter—have described a growing sense of hopelessness among citizens, who are confronting a deteriorating economic situation alongside uncertainty about the political ramifications of Trump’s electoral loss.

The event also highlights the continued volatility of US‑Iran relations, with the Iranian leadership using the US electoral outcome to legitimize its hard‑line posture. For regional actors, especially Israel, the display signals that Tehran may feel emboldened to pursue more aggressive policies, potentially affecting security dynamics across the Middle East.

What happens next

State television’s broadcast of the mock hanging suggests that further symbolic actions are likely as the Iranian regime seeks to capitalise on the perceived US weakness. No specific dates for additional demonstrations were provided, but officials have indicated that they will continue to frame the Republican defeat as a strategic victory for Iran. International observers are monitoring the situation for any escalation in rhetoric or policy that could translate into heightened tensions between Tehran, Washington and Jerusalem.