Iran appeals to US voters as American troops leave Iraq

BAGHDAD/WASHINGTON— Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps urged Americans to vote out US President Donald Trump's allies in Congress as US forces were due to withdraw from their remaining bases in neighbouring Iraq on Wednesday in a departure celebrated by Tehran.

Meanwhile, Qatar continued to promote its shuttle diplomacy aimed at ending the seven-month-old war between Iran and the United States. Trump once again predicted a swift surrender for Iran.

The 26-page letter by the Guards, published on Tuesday, urges Americans to use their political power to remove current leaders from office and reject US support for Israel and military intervention abroad.

While the missive was unlikely to sway US voters who may not even see the text published by Iranian media, it identifies issues that US political analysts say are working against Trump and the Republican Party ahead of November 3 congressional elections, when the opposition Democrats could retake control of one or both legislative chambers, potentially impeding Trump's political agenda.

"Remove from power the evil, deceitful, and violent politicians who are responsible for America’s current state," the letter said. "Make sure your politicians understand that the world has changed."

Trump campaigned in 2024 pledging to avoid new wars, end existing conflicts and bring down inflation, but the war with Iran, which Trump launched alongside Israel, has contributed to higher global fuel prices and spread in the Middle East.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll published September 21 found just 17% of respondents approved Trump's handling of the cost of living - the top issue Americans say will determine how they vote in November. Only 34% approved of the strikes on Iran.

Trump, who broke with Republican orthodoxy in 2016 when he called the US invasion of Iraq a major mistake, allowed the final withdrawal from Iraq on Wednesday, which was agreed in 2024 by former President Joe Biden.

The withdrawal comes 23 years after US-led forces toppled Saddam Hussein, then triggered upheaval that culminated with the rise of Islamic State.

Qatari mediation

The US war in Iran has drawn in Iranian allies in the region, including the Houthis in Yemen, Hezbollah in Lebanon and militias in Iraq, which Riyadh blamed for the September 10 attack that knocked the East-West Pipeline in Saudi Arabia offline.

Iran, which says its ultimate aim is to force American forces to leave the entire Middle East, casts the US withdrawal from Iraq as a triumph for its "axis of resistance" of allied armed groups across the region.

The US and Iran have not found an off-ramp from the war despite rounds of talks and several ceasefires.

Negotiations appeared to intensify during last week's UN General Assembly meeting in New York, but have so far not yielded any agreement to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas passed before the war started in February.

Qatar has again emerged as would-be peacemaker after previously playing a supporting role in producing a June memorandum of understanding that led to a brief ceasefire. US and Iranian officials spoke separately with Qatari mediators on Monday, but it was unclear if exchanges took place on Tuesday.

"We are exchanging messages between the parties, and we're working towards establishing a common ground in order to get into a deal that would save all of us from the repercussions of the conflict," Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari told reporters.

Trump meanwhile repeated his position that Iran must not obtain a nuclear weapon and that the war would be over soon.

The conflict has degraded Iran's conventional forces and damaged its already ailing economy, but Tehran has fought back with missile and drone strikes on US allies in the Gulf and by restricting oil tanker traffic in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which has pushed up world energy prices.

"I don't know if they are going to give up yet but they'll give up," Trump told reporters on Tuesday.

"They are doing very poorly," he added.

At the United Nations General Assembly last week, Iran floated a peace proposal that would trigger a seven-day countdown to reopening the strait and a pause in fighting.

Trump on Saturday rejected the plan although Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Sunday that Washington had not officially relayed a US rejection through mediators.

Trump has cited weakening Iran's nuclear capabilities as one of his war objectives, along with ending its ability to attack its neighbours and creating conditions for Iranians to topple their leadership.

Iran, which does not have nuclear weapons, denies seeking them. The US is nuclear-armed. Tehran says it has the right to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes as a party to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.