Meanwhile, Trump’s Republican Party faces crucial midterm elections on November 3, with Democrats potentially winning control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Such an outcome would be a major blow to Trump, who still has more than two years left in his final term in the White House.Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said on Saturday that Tehran would not “wait for permission to defend itself”, adding that the country “seeks peace but will respond to any aggression with severe consequences”.“Our position is clear: we do not flee from dialogue for peace, and we do not hesitate in defending the country.
Those who harbour the illusion of destroying Iran must correct their calculations,” Mohajerani wrote in a memo.Her comments came as Iranian judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei met Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. The pair discussed how to tackle corruption and pursue compensation for Iranians affected by the US-Israeli war, among other issues.Khamenei replaced his father as supreme leader after the latter was assassinated during the opening strikes of the war on February 28.
He has not been seen in public since assuming the position in early March.Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf was reported to have met Khamenei earlier this week.