Iran, the Middle East, and the United States

The Middle East Program at the Wilson Center is pleased to present “Iran, the Middle East, and the United States.” Amid a complex regional landscape and Iranian parliamentary elections, this half-day conference on March 18th explored the intricate dynamics of Iran’s relationships within the Middle East and its interactions with the United States.

Henry T. Wooster, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, keynoted this conference. Moderated by Ambassador David Hale, Global Fellow at the Wilson Center, Mr. Wooster delved into the Biden administration’s Iran policy.

The first panel, “Iran, its Allies, and the United States,” examined the intricate interplay between Iran, its allies, and the United States, aiming to decode the strategic frameworks and relationships central to Iran’s geopolitical position in the Middle East. It will feature insights from Ambassador Jim Jeffrey, Chair of the Middle East Program at the Wilson Center; Robin Wright, a Distinguished Fellow at the Wilson Center; Mike Singh, Managing Director and Lane-Swig Senior Fellow at the Washington Institute; and Ali Vaez, Senior Adviser and Project Director for Iran at the Crisis Group.

The final panel, “Parliamentary Elections and Implications of U.S.-Iran Relations,” focused on Iran’s parliamentary elections and their potential influence on US-Iran relations. Moderated by Behnam Ben Taleblu, a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, this discussion featired insights from Suzanne Maloney, Vice President and Director of the Foreign Policy Program at the Brookings Institution; Naysan Rafati, Senior Analyst at the Crisis Group; and Holly Dagres, Nonresident Fellow at the Middle East Program of the Atlantic Council. The expert speakers provided a detailed examination of the electoral outcomes and their implications for the evolving diplomatic landscape between the two nations.