TEHRAN – Ali Akbar Velayati, Advisor to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution on International Affairs, said the world is moving away from a unipolar system dominated by the United States toward a fair and balanced multipolar order, signaling the end of U.S. global supremacy.

“The era of American unilateralism is over,” Velayati said on Tuesday, emphasizing that emerging powers are reshaping the international landscape and rejecting Washington’s attempts to impose its will. He added that the United States, despite its efforts, is facing a crisis of legitimacy not only in the Middle East but also across Latin America and East Asia.

He noted that Washington still approaches global politics with a colonial mindset, attempting to preserve influence in regions it once considered its “backyard.” “Trump even described Canada as America’s 51st state,” Velayati recalled, adding that such attitudes illustrate the persistence of U.S. arrogance.

Velayati said the illusion of a unipolar world faded soon after the Cold War, as independent nations began to resist U.S. domination. Russia, under President Vladimir Putin, has reasserted its sovereignty and countered Western aggression, while China’s rapid economic growth and balanced diplomacy have positioned it as a central pillar of a new international order.

“The growing partnership between China and Russia, particularly through frameworks like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS, represents a powerful Eastern axis that challenges U.S. unilateralism,” he said.

According to Velayati, Washington’s global influence is declining due to its interventionist and coercive policies. He said the United States is seeking to re-establish its foothold in regions such as South America, the Middle East, and South Asia to counter the rise of Eastern powers. “The U.S. is pressuring Pakistan and India and trying to expand its presence near strategic locations like Gwadar Port, close to Iran’s Chabahar Port,” he added.

Addressing the Gaza war, Velayati said the United States’ calls for a ceasefire are not driven by concern for civilians but by fear of losing influence among Arab governments. “Trump’s stance on Palestine reflects the U.S. policy of trading principles for power,” he said. “Washington’s ties with Arab states are purely transactional, and its support for the Zionist regime is motivated by political and electoral interests.”

He added, “The Palestinian cause is not for sale. The nations of the region have awakened, and the struggle for justice will continue despite American and Zionist pressure.”

Velayati said new multilateral organizations such as BRICS have laid the groundwork for a world based on justice, cooperation, and mutual respect. “The resilience of the Russian economy during the Ukraine conflict, with China’s tangible support, shows that the balance of power is shifting,” he said. “The new world order will be defined by independence and equality—not domination.”

Concluding his remarks, Velayati said the Islamic Republic of Iran plays a vital role in shaping this emerging order through its independent foreign policy and resistance to hegemony. “The world today is not what it was before. Nations have awakened, and emerging powers will not allow the return of unilateral domination,” he said.

He reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to supporting resistance movements and defending the sovereignty of regional nations. “Iran stands with the oppressed and against the aggressors,” Velayati said. “Western powers accuse us of interference while they themselves openly meddle in the affairs of countries like Lebanon and Syria.”

“The actions of the U.S. and its allies aim to weaken Lebanon’s national identity and replicate the chaos they created in Syria,” he warned. “Hezbollah’s Islamic Resistance is the only force standing against this aggression, and Iran’s support for it is a defense of Lebanon’s sovereignty.”