Expanding NATO Wars, page-53

“Being invited by the government there. Hamas representatives, Islamic Jihad representatives, and representatives of other groups go to Moscow as well,” Marandi explained. “...the Global South, which includes the whole of Asia, countries like Russia and China, are moving away from the West. And so the West is not seen as an honest broker.”

“The US and the Europeans are seen as complicit in this genocide. They are partners in this genocide and in other conflicts across the region and across the world. So, you are seeing how non-Western countries are gradually replacing the West.”

“In the past, people, whether they liked it or not, had to go and negotiate in the West or with the West. Now they are increasingly seeking alternatives, just like trade has moved away from the West to China and to other parts of the world. We are seeing politics also moving away from the West and we see new international institutions like the BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and others gradually growing and ultimately, I think, diminishing the power of the World Bank, the IMF, and even the United Nations,” he added.

Thomas pointed to the irony that the US has been stockpiling the Middle East with military arsenals but at the same time has been encouraging Iran to stand down and de-escalate tensions with Israel.

The US State Department announced on Tuesday that they had approved $20 billion in arms sales to Israel, including a number of fighter jets and advanced air-to-air missiles, US media reported. The sale includes more than 50 F-15 fighter jets, Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles 120 mm tank ammunition and high explosive mortars and tactical vehicles. However, the sales will take years to fulfill and are meant to help Israel militarily in the long term.

It was also reported on Monday that the US will resume sales of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia following more than three years of imposing limits on the kingdom in response to human rights issues after thousands of civilians were killed in Saudi-led airstrikes against Houthi rebels. But now, it is the US, Britain and Israel that have been striking Houthi targets in Yemen after the rebels began firing missiles at commercial ships in the Red Sea in solidarity with Palestinians.

“If the US strikes Iran, then all US bases in the region will be destroyed and they are right across the Persian Gulf. They're very close to Iran. And those countries, those city-states in the Persian Gulf that host those bases will be seen as responsible and hostile. And, therefore, their oil and gas assets and key infrastructure will be immediately destroyed because they'll be seen as a part of aggression,” Marandi suggested.