Is the era of Western interference over?
...news and updates from Iran and the latest speech by Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem.
Is the era of Western interference over? That’s at least what Tom Barrack, US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy for Syria, wrote in a tweet on X on Sunday 25th May 2025, as reported also by Al Mayadeen:
Sure, as I wrote in my previous original article…
President Donald J. Trump’s moves to start indirect negotiations with Iran on a new nuclear deal, to stop bombing Ansar Allah in Yemen, to engage directly with Hamas for the release of Israeli-American captive Edan Alexander, to skip a visit in Israel during his recent Middle East tour and to lift sanctions against Syria, after meeting with Ahmad al-Sharaa2, despite Israeli concern. […] Indeed, all this points to an apparent divergence between the US and the Israeli governments…
…and to an apparent change in US foreign policy. But is it real? And is Ambassador Tom Barrack referring to US foreign policy in general or specifically in the Middle East or, more in particular, to Syria?
After all, if he is referring to Syria, why should the Outlaw US Empire bother to keep “interfering” with the new Syrian government, now that it finally managed to install its own puppet, Ahmad al-Sharaa, also known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Julani, before his conversion on the road to Damascus (literally!), when acting as head-chopper and rebel against former President Bashar al-Assad.
If he is referring to the Middle East, that is not true at all. Yes, there could be a divergence between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (yesterday Al Mayadeen reported on a “heated phone call” between the two), as aforementioned, but it could be just theatre. Also, Trump’s recent tour of the Gulf states clearly indicates the opposite, not to mention the ongoing indirect US-Iran negotiations on a nuclear deal (i.e. interfering with Iran’s legitimate right to nuclear enrichment for civil purposes). Plus, we must not forget that US is still heavily interfering in Lebanon, by paying a fraction of the salary of the Lebanese army, installing General Joseph Aoun as President and with a huge embassy (the largest in the world, still under construction) - please check Craig Murray’s articles on this topic on his blog: they are very informative!
If he is referring to US foreign policy in general, that would require more research, but, to cut it short, since Tom Barrack’s statement does not apply to the Middle East, it is clear that it does not apply to US foreign policy across the whole world.
So, to sum up and to give an answer to the question in the title of this article… NO, the era of Western interference is not over… yet, at least! It may be soon, due to the collapse of the Outlaw US Empire and its European vassal states, on one side, and to the rise of China, Russia and BRICS+, on the other.
Let’s now move on to Iran, where Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian commented on the ongoing indirect US-Iran negotiations during a ceremony marking the anniversary of the Islamic Azad University, as reported by Al Mayadeen and IRNA (Islamic Republic News Agency):
It’s not like we will die of hunger if they [Americans] do not want to negotiate with us and sanction us.
There are hundreds of ways to overcome the problems, and all we need to do is to join hands and unite together.
Everyone is talking about whether or not the United States will reach a deal with Iran, but the most important issue before the nation is cohesion and avoidance of division.
We will not need anyone if we reach an agreement with our people and elites.
The Islamic Republic, today, is more powerful than ever.
University graduates must know that Iranians are no less than anyone.
We must build Iran in a way that money and capital are produced and developed in it.
Al Mayadeen and IRNA also quoted the following stern warning to Israel by Iran’s Army Commander, Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi:
The Zionist regime is too weak to harm the grandeur of Iran. Meanwhile, the power of the Islamic Republic can pose serious challenges to Israel and its backers.
Even their own officials understand that they cannot endure such challenges. But since the current rulers are foolish child-killers, any misstep is possible.
If they are in a hurry to receive another “True Promise”, we are fully prepared to deliver the appropriate blow.
Similarly, Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, deputy commander of the Iranian Armed Forces for coordination affairs, stated:
We are also fully prepared to confront the enemy with the support of the people…this nation has always stood against threats.
Since we touched upon Lebanon earlier, let’s move there. Last Sunday, 25th May 2025, Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem gave a televised speech on the occasion of the Resistance and Liberation Day on its 25th anniversary. Here are some highlights (from Al Mayadeen Short News - see also this Al Mayadeen article - all emphasis mine):
This day lifted Lebanon from the depths of weakness to the heights of strength.
The Liberation redrew the region’s fate, in politics, in culture, and in the course of freedom-fighting, leading us from the chains of submission to the fire of defiance, from the dust of defeat to the dawn of triumph.
The Resistance forged Lebanon’s liberation and its renewed independence, and it succeeded in elevating the nation's standing, enabling it to assume a significant and influential role within the region.
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the martyr of the nation, was the shining light who guided the Resistance through darkness, leading it to triumph and glory.
The statement by Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal reflects his patriotism and the Lebanese army's, and we remain firmly committed to the equation of the army, the people, and the Resistance. [Probably referring to this statement].
Resistance and Liberation Day was the prelude that shaped everything that followed.
The Resistance stands strong in its capacity as a [popular] choice, an expression of the people's will, and a manifestation of unwavering determination.
Resistance is a choice, at times it strikes with force and deters, at times it stands, unshaken, to repel, and at times it waits with patience, yet ever ready, in its place.
Ask nothing more of us from this day on… Let "Israel" withdraw, let its aggression cease, let the captives be freed, then, and only then, shall we speak of what comes next.
The Resistance does not remain silent in the face of injustice, nor does it bow to defeat or surrender.
The war with the Israeli enemy is not yet over, for the enemy has not honored its commitments.
If the United States believes that pressure can enforce Israeli terms, we affirm: such terms shall never be realized, no matter how great the sacrifices may be.
No one can uproot the Resistance from Lebanese soil, for it is woven into the very fabric of Lebanon, and the essence of Lebanon stands firmly upon the pillar of resistance.
I advise President Trump to seize the opportunity and free himself from the burden of "Israel".
We are a cornerstone in every advancement in Lebanon; our fingerprints are present in every milestone, and we are an inseparable part of every positive development it witnesses.
A stable Lebanon benefits both Lebanon and others, and no one should extort us in terms of the country's reconstruction.
We engaged in the municipal elections with a national spirit, a unifying vision, and a developmental spirit; we do not seek to exclude any component; rather, we extended our hand to everyone.
"Israel" will not be able to maintain presence [in Lebanon], and God willing, we shall rebuild our homeland and villages, forging ahead with both construction and liberation hand in hand.
Moving briefly to Yemen, it is worth reporting the following message that Field Marshal Mahdi Al-Mashat, President of the Supreme Political Council, sent to Lebanon on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Resistance and Liberation Day (from Saba News Agency - all emphasis mine):
It gives me great pleasure to extend my warmest and most sincere congratulations to brotherly Lebanon—its state, people, army, and resistance—on the 25th anniversary of Resistance and Liberation Day. This occasion reaffirms the firm will and courage of the Lebanese people in liberating themselves from the usurping Israeli occupation. We also affirm that no matter how powerful this entity may seem, it is weaker than a spider’s web.
This anniversary comes at a time when its architect, the Martyr of Islam and Humanity [referring to Hezbollah's late Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah], is no longer with us, and while the Israeli enemy persists in attempts to entrench its occupation in certain points along the border. Moreover, it continues to weave conspiracies and plots in collaboration with the United States of America , its agents and tools in the region, aiming to create divisions among the people in order to reimpose occupation, hegemony, and control over Lebanon’s resources.
This anniversary represents the fruit of the complementary roles of the army, the people, and the resistance, conveying the profound significance of the resistance’s armed struggle in achieving this historic victory.
Here in the Republic of Yemen, we are confident in the steadfastness of the trinity—the army, the people, the resistance—and their ability to thwart the enemies’ schemes and continue the struggle to liberate every inch of Lebanon’s cherished land.
We reiterate our country’s support for all choices until victory is achieved for Lebanon and its noble people.
On a final note, this morning the Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) launched two ballistic missiles: a hypersonic Palestine 2 targeting the Ben Gurion Airport in Yaffa (Tel Aviv) and a Dhu al-Fiqar against “a vital target of the Zionist enemy east of the occupied Yaffa area”, as reported by Yemen News Agency Saba and Al Mayadeen (1 and 2).
I will conclude this article with the following cartoon from Saba:
Thank you so much for putting together an informative article on the many hot spots in the ME. I agree with your assessment of Tom Barrack, US Ambassador to the Turkey and Special Envoy for Syria, that there will not be an end to Western interference in the region. Trump in particular, and the United States in general, will change their policies on a whim. In just the last 24 hours we saw an apparent ceasefire agreement between Hamas and the United States that was quickly vetoed by Israel. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff then turned around and blamed Hamas for the ceasefire deal falling apart. No change there.
I remain skeptical, but I can see Trump going in the right direction. I can also see him going in the wrong direction. Time will tell.