The Democratic Party’s victory in the U.S. midterm elections is no guarantee of peace in the Middle East. This was stated by Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, as quoted by Al Hadath.
“The fact that the Democrats gained control of the entire U.S. Congress does not guarantee that war will not break out in the region. The resumption of hostilities between the United States and Iran is an entirely plausible scenario, and this is no secret to anyone,” Hussein said.
The warning comes after the November 3 elections, in which the Democrats won a majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. The new Congress will begin its work on January 3, 2027.
Baghdad Wants to Stay Out of the Conflict
The Iraqi minister stressed that Baghdad would make every effort not to be “drawn into the conflict again.” According to him, Iraq’s involvement in military operations would be a “catastrophe” for the country and would “lead it to a dead end.”
Baghdad’s position is linked to Iraq’s geographical location and the risk that the country could become an arena for a confrontation between the United States and Iran. Hussein has already warned that a regional war could directly affect Iraq’s security, economy and political stability.
In July, he told Al Arabiya and Al Hadath that Iraq opposed the expansion of the war and was under pressure to be drawn into it. At the time, the minister said that the country had suffered material and human losses because of the conflict in the region.
What the New Congress Could Change
Democratic control of both chambers will give the party the opportunity to lead key committees, conduct investigations and influence the allocation of funds for military operations. This, however, will not automatically end U.S. policy toward Iran.
The U.S. president retains the right to veto, while the Democrats will not have the necessary two-thirds majority to override it on their own. Therefore, future decisions regarding the conflict will depend on the confrontation between the White House and Congress, as well as on the possibility of bipartisan agreements.
According to analyses cited by U.S. media, the new balance of power could increase pressure on Donald Trump’s administration over the war with Iran. However, it does not rule out a new escalation before the Democrats officially take control of Congress.
Sources: alhadath.net, apnews.com, aljazeera.com