Lebanese Minister Of Labor Moustafa Bayram: Nasrallah Is A 'Strategic Weapon'; America Is Satan; U.S. Students Raise Hizbullah Flags As Symbols Of Struggle; The Student Movement Demonstrates That Western Democracy Is In A 'Major Crisis'

Lebanese Minister of Labor Moustafa Bayram said in a June 13, 2024 interview with Mayadeen TV (Lebanon) that Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah is a "strategic weapon." He called America "Satan." Bayram added that American students raise the Hizbullah flag as a "symbol of struggle," and this shows that Hizbullah speaks for them and that it is avenging all the free people of the world. He said that the student protests at American universities demonstrate that Western democracy is in a "major crisis."

Moustafa Bayram: "I wish the Lebanese army could defend us – our heroic, patriotic, and excellent army. These are our brothers, our family, our children, and our loved ones. But what is the Lebanese army doing? Before the Al-Aqsa Flood, when there was an [Israeli] violation of the Blue Line, a soldier in the Lebanese army cocked his weapon. But then, a phone call came from one of the larger Western embassies, and said to the commanders of the army: 'We do not allow you to cock weapons that are aimed at Israel.'

[...]

"Once, I was on live TV, and all of a sudden, they interrupted the broadcast, to announce that a Western superpower was giving a major gift to the Lebanese army. I thought they must be giving anti-aircraft missiles or anti-tank missiles."

Interviewer: – "Did you seriously think that?"

Bayram: – "Yes, I thought maybe they were giving us. Maybe they felt embarrassed about the weapons of our army. What did it turn out to be? – Four tires... four tires for a military vehicle whose wheels came off. Is there a bigger joke than this? Is there a bigger show of contempt?"

[...]

"Hassan Nasrallah himself constitutes a strategic weapon. There is no war in the world..."

Interviewer: "He intercontinental weapon..."

Bayram: "Absolutely. Let me give you an example. If he tells the people of Haifa to go the bombshelters, will they go to the bombshelters or not? Oh boy will they go, with their parents in tow."

[...]

Interviewer: "What does it mean when an American student holds a Hizbullah flag?"

Bayram: "It means that Hizbullah is a symbol of this struggle, that Hizbullah speaks on this student's behalf, that Hizbullah is attacking and putting to shame people who attack and kill children. That Hizbullah is avenging all the free people of the world, all the revolutionaries of the world, all the people of honor in the world, no matter to what group they belong."

Interviewer: "How do you see this movement in American universities?"

Bayram: "It is very important."

Interviewer: "What message does it convey?"

Bayram: "That Western democracy is in a major crisis. Usually the dynamics in a democracy is that the rulers express the will of the people, but we see that democracy is facing great difficulties, and its true colors are revealed under pressure. Perhaps in calm days, democracy functions somewhat smoothly, but when the mechanisms of democracy come under pressure, it becomes evident that the mechanisms of government are not popular."

[...]

Interviewer: "How would you grade the American performance and role?"

Bayram: "Satan."

Interviewer: "You rank the U.S. as Satan?"

Bayram: "Absolutely! It gives cover to all the acts of killing and annihilating us, all the slaughter of our people. Is there a war anywhere that America is not behind? Which people are the most hated in the world today? America and Israel. We do not tell lies about them. But it should be noted that we have no problem with the American people."