Tehran: Demonstrators in Tehran burned a banner featuring US President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following the Republican Party’s losses in the US midterm elections.

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Iranian officials welcomed the Democratic Party’s electoral gains, viewing the outcome as a setback for Trump amid growing public frustration in the US over the war with Iran and rising fuel prices. World leaders, meanwhile, are watching closely for signs that Washington may reconsider its approach to the conflict.

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, dismissed suggestions that the election outcome would lead to a shift in Washington’s policy towards Tehran.

Tensions across the Middle East remain high, with uncertainty surrounding the possibility of the US resuming full-scale military operations against Iran. Diplomatic efforts are continuing to prevent a fresh escalation of hostilities.

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The demonstrations in Tehran also coincided with the anniversary of the 1979 takeover of the US Embassy. Thousands attended a government-organised rally, where pro-government demonstrators burned American and Israeli flags and chanted slogans against both countries.

Meanwhile, UN peacekeeping operations in Lebanon have come under renewed scrutiny. UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix warned that Lebanese officials were concerned about a potential security vacuum after the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ends its mission on December 31.

Lacroix, who recently returned from the region, cautioned that the absence of peacekeepers could leave Israeli forces and the Lebanese army facing each other without a third-party presence to monitor the situation. He also raised concerns over monitoring the Blue Line, the UN-demarcated boundary between Israel and Lebanon, and preventing accidental clashes.

The border region has witnessed decades of violence, including the full-scale conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in 2024. Israel has repeatedly accused UNIFIL of failing to prevent Hezbollah from strengthening its military presence along the border. Lacroix said attempts to disarm the group had failed due to a lack of political will.

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The US, a close ally of Israel, pushed the UN Security Council to end the peacekeeping mission after nearly five decades. UN Secretary-General António Guterres had proposed three options in June to maintain monitoring along the border.

Although unarmed UN military observers will remain authorised to operate in southern Lebanon, Lacroix questioned their ability to function effectively without adequate protection and support. The Security Council is scheduled to discuss a resolution adopted in 2000 on November 19.

Separately, Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed on Wednesday that they had targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, along with several areas in the country's south. The group did not provide evidence to support its claim.

AP