UN Snub Shows Decline in US Clout

A senior Iranian official has hailed a recent UN resolution on Beit-ul-Moqaddas, saying its approval showed a decline in Washington’s influence on the international stage.

“At the United Nations and the General Assembly, the US failed to secure even a single ‘Yes’ vote, in favor of changing Israel’s 'capital', despite all advance warnings to its allies," Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior advisor to the Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, said on Tuesday.

In a highly controversial policy shift, US President Donald Trump announced on December 6 that Washington was recognizing Beit-ul-Moqaddas as the “capital” of Israel and was preparing to relocate its embassy from Tel Aviv to the occupied city, Press TV reported.

The announcement triggered global condemnations and protests.

Isolated at the UN Security Council, the US was forced on December 18 to use its veto after Britain and all other members of the body voted for a binding resolution opposing Trump’s move.

After the veto, a similar, but non-binding, resolution was put to vote at the General Assembly last week, which was overwhelmingly approved, with 128 in favor, 9 against and 35 abstentions.

This is while prior to the General Assembly vote, the US had threatened that it would “take names of those who vote to reject Jerusalem [Beit-ul-Moqaddas] recognition.”

Velayati described the global support for the anti-US measure as “unprecedented”, saying the UN Security Council’s vote “even met with criticism from the Americans themselves concerning the decline in their influence at the UN”.

“Major European Union countries unanimously voted against the US. That gives rise to a question as to what caused the change in their views. [The change can be attributed to] the victories of the resistance front in Iraq, Syria and Yemen,” he added.

Velayati noted that the issue of Palestine is still of paramount importance to the Muslim world, pointing to attempts by “enemies and opponents” to sideline this issue.

“They portrayed the Islamic Republic, the main supporter of the resistance front, as the world’s main enemy. But the recent majority vote at the UN General Assembly reflected the awareness and cognizance of the global public opinion,” he said.

- Trump Targeting Heart of Muslim Society

Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, said the US role and dominance in the world is on the decline.

Addressing a gathering in Gaza City, Haniyeh said Washington’s moves over Beit-ul-Moqaddas is “part of a plan aimed at eliminating the issue of Palestine”.

Trump’s decision, he added, took aim at “the heart of the Islamic society and will give rise to many consequences.”

Talks of normalization of ties with Israel were actually meant to materialize Trump’s decision, Haniyeh added, referring to covert and overt moves across the Arab world, most notably from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain, to strengthen ties with Tel Aviv.