Former Iranian Official Amir Mousavi: The U.S. Is Finished, Has Become a Rogue State; Researcher Magdi Khalil: Iran Is Under Siege, "Resistance Axis" Is Destroying Arab Countries

Iranian researcher Amir Mousavi, a former advisor the Iranian Defense Minister, said in a March 5, 2019 debate on Al-Jazeera Network (Qatar) about America's influence in today's world that the U.S. "is finished." He added that America's prestige throughout the world has diminished and that it is now a rogue state. Egyptian-American political analyst Magdi Khalil, President of the Middle East Freedom Forum, criticized Mousavi for his comments and said that it is “laughable” for Iran to claim the U.S. is finished. He said that there is a Shiite-Sunni war that people do not want to acknowledge, and that the Shiite "resistance axis" has already destroyed Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, and is on its way to destroying Lebanon, as well.

Following are excerpts:

Amir Mousavi: I believe that America is finished. Its prestige in the region and the world in general is completely gone. In the past, when it would make a decision, everybody would fall in line, but today it is isolated and alone. The EU is singing to a different tune. Even countries in Latin America hold different views, and the same holds for the Arab and Muslim countries. America has become a persona non grata in many international forums.

Host: It has become a rogue state?

Amir Mousavi: Exactly.

[…]

Magdi Khalil: It is peculiar that a country that is under siege [like Iran] – and that is engaged in money laundering the sponsoring of terrorists, electronic piracy, the kidnapping of foreigners, and the harboring of terrorists – talks about America being under siege… America is under siege, but not Iran or Venezuela… That’s laughable.

[…]

The [Western] supporters of the “resistance axis” are the same people who used to write in support of Saddam Hussein, using the same slogans about “the road to Jerusalem.” For Saddam Hussein, the road to Jerusalem passed through Kuwait, and for the Iranians, the road to Jerusalem will pass through Syria, Yemen, and Lebanon. They will only start thinking about Jerusalem 700 years from now. They do nothing but chant slogans.

[…]

We are talking about a Shiite crescent, and this became evident when Hassan Nasrallah raided and occupied Beirut in 2008. Then, they moved on to Syria in 2011, and after that to Yemen. The so-called “achievement” of this axis is the destruction of three Arab countries: Iraq, Syria, and Yemen. A fourth country, Lebanon, is also on its way to destruction. Another so-called “achievement” of this axis is the thwarting of the Fatah-Hamas reconciliation. It has mercenaries in the Islamic Jihad and in Hamas. When things calm down, they fire a few rockets [at Israel] for Iran’s sake. When Egypt tries to reconcile between [Hamas and Fatah], they obstruct it. When a peace process begins, they thwart it. These are the “achievements” of this axis. There is a Shiite-Sunni war. This is the fact that people do not want to acknowledge.