Iran Watches U.S. Elections with 'Concern' Amid Middle East War and Sanctions

The Associated Press reported from Tehran just days before the U.S. presidential election that the Islamic Republic of Iran is concerned and cautious about the outcome of the U.S. election. The report on Thursday, November 1, notes that the U.S. election is taking place while Iran, a country under Washington's sanctions, is directly involved in the ongoing Middle East war and is still assessing the damages from Israeli operations that occurred on November 1 in response to two Iranian missile attacks. The U.S. election is occurring in an atmosphere where Tehran's proxy groups in the so-called 'Resistance' axis, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, which were formed to defend Iran, are under heavy attacks from the Israeli army. The U.S. considers the extremist groups Hamas and Hezbollah as terrorist organizations and emphasizes defending Israel against them and Tehran. The U.S. election also takes place two days after the 45th anniversary of the takeover of the U.S. embassy in Tehran by students known as 'followers of the line of Imam,' an event that was supported at the time by the founder of the Islamic Republic and the current leader of Iran. Ali Khamenei, who was president at the time, personally met with some of the hostages. Government spokesman Masoud Pezeshkian said this week that Tehran hopes to see a change in Washington's policies and 'respect for the national sovereignty' of other countries following the U.S. elections. Fatemeh Mohajerani also stated that Iran expects Washington to refrain from 'provocative actions' in recent years. U.S. security and intelligence agencies have accused the Islamic Republic of Iran of interfering in the presidential election, including through hacking the emails of the campaigns of both candidates. However, according to the Associated Press, Iranian officials believe that the issue of nuclear negotiations (to revive the JCPOA) can be separated from the ongoing war in the Middle East. The government of Masoud Pezeshkian is still hopeful for the lifting of sanctions and achieving another nuclear agreement or reviving the JCPOA. Analysts, however, predict a difficult path for any potential future negotiations between Tehran and Washington, regardless of which candidate wins. Ali Soufi, a journalist for the reformist newspaper 'Shargh' in Tehran, likened any potential negotiations between the two governments to a 'war of attrition,' and another analyst, Saeed Nourmohammadi, doubted that such negotiations would be fruitful. The Associated Press reminded that the final decision in this regard lies within the powers of the 85-year-old leader of the Islamic Republic. Donald Trump, during his previous presidency, ordered the killing of Qassem Soleimani, the then-commander of the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards, which was carried out on January 3, 2020, at Baghdad airport. In this election campaign, he has emphasized support for Israel and providing necessary assistance to this country to defend itself against threats from Iran and Tehran's proxy groups. Kamala Harris has also emphasized the need to support Israel and called Iran the 'greatest threat' to the U.S. in her campaign, but she insists on an immediate end to the war between Israel and the extremist group Hamas in Gaza. Harris and President Joe Biden have been accused by Republicans of failing in indirect negotiations with Iran regarding the nuclear program during their time in power, which allowed Tehran to expand its plans in this area. The Biden-Harris administration has also faced severe criticism from Republicans for the agreement to exchange five American prisoners in Iran last year. The Associated Press also spoke with several people in the streets of Tehran, who, like the Islamic Republic, understand the importance of the U.S. elections and their sensitivity for Iran's fate and the region, but are confused about which candidate's victory would be better for Tehran. According to the news agency, many Iranians in the streets avoid talking to reporters and are cautious because, in a country where only state media operate, the people are generally suspicious of journalists and their cameras on the streets. Most of those interviewed were worried about the possibility of direct war between Iran and the U.S. if Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, wins, but they still believe that the likelihood of reaching an agreement with him in the White House is higher. Zahra, a 22-year-old girl in a popular youth café in central Tehran, called Trump 'anti-Iranian' and said she prefers Kamala Harris, who is not seeking war, especially since she is a woman and the time for a woman president has come. Ibrahim, a 28-year-old student, believes that the fact that Harris and Biden convinced Israel not to attack Iran's nuclear facilities in recent operations is itself a sign of moving towards peace. In contrast, Ms. Mahnaz stated that Kamala Harris, as a woman, cannot reach an agreement with Iran because, according to the Iranian government, 'men can negotiate with ruling men.' Ms. Fariba, however, is worried that Trump's victory would reduce her son's chances of going to the U.S. for university studies. According to her, the cost of any adventure will be paid by the children of the country. Ahmad, a 53-year-old man, supports Trump's victory for 'his own specific reasons,' even though he is certain that a full-scale war between the two countries will occur. Reza, a 31-year-old taxi driver, reminded that Trump tried to withdraw American forces from the Middle East during his previous presidency, saying that Trump's return might reduce tensions in the region. Mohammad Ali, a window factory owner, also pointed out the 'failure' of the Biden-Harris administration in the past three and a half years to reach an agreement with Iran, saying that perhaps Trump could quickly reach such an agreement with Tehran. Sadegh, 65, believes that all U.S. presidents after the establishment of the Islamic Republic have had similar views towards Tehran and 'it is unlikely that this will change.'