In a speech delivered at the Atlantic Council in Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reviewed the shifting dynamics in the Middle East and pointed to the changing power balance in the region. Blinken’s remarks centered around the diminished influence of Iran and its proxies, particularly Hezbollah, signaling a new era in Middle Eastern geopolitics.

Blinken stated that Iran has lost its ability to arm Hezbollah, a key proxy group in the region, and that the balance of power in the Middle East has dramatically shifted as a result. 

"Hezbollah has lost and has become a thing of the past, and its attacks have harmed both the Lebanese and the Israelis," he said. 

The outgoing U.S. Secretary of State went further in his criticism of Hezbollah’s role in the region, suggesting that the group’s actions have only been detrimental to Lebanon, urging regional officials to prioritize their nations' prosperity.

Blinken’s speech also underlined the changing dynamics within the broader Middle East, emphasizing that the balance of power in the Middle East is shifting "dramatically," and "not in the way Hamas and its backers hoped or planned."

He highlighted the success of the U.S.'s strengthened sanctions regime on Iran, reinforcing President Joe Biden’s commitment to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Referring to the losses Iran has suffered in recent years, Blinken noted, "Iran has lost its best proxies in Hamas and Hezbollah, it no longer has Syria and Assad," indicating that Iran’s influence in the region has waned. He viewed this moment as an opportunity not only to tackle Iran’s nuclear ambitions but also to address its broader regional activities.

“This is a moment of opportunity, and maybe a moment of opportunity to resolve in an enduring way not only the nuclear challenge posed by Iran, but also the actions that Iran takes throughout the region,” Blinken stated, reinforcing the shifting regional dynamics that could reshape Middle Eastern geopolitics moving forward.