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Thursday, April 16, 2026
10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. / Eastern Time
Registration is NOT REQUIRED to view the program.
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Background and Context
Join us for another timely webinar on the escalating U.S.-Iran conflict as the war enters a critical phase following the failed first round of peace talks in Islamabad. A fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran appears to be faltering, leading President Trump to announce a naval blockade on all Iranian ports and a further closure of the Strait of Hormuz—the world’s most vital maritime hydrocarbon artery through which 20% of the world’s crude oil and LNG pass. This webinar will examine the dynamics of escalation, diplomacy, and managing a prolonged conflict; Iran’s retaliatory threats against shipping and Gulf Arab states; and the continuing conflict in Lebanon, where clashes have intensified despite regional efforts to reduce tensions and support negotiated outcomes. We will explore the role of global powers, analyzing how Russia and China are supporting Iran, attempting to reshape Middle Eastern geopolitics and maneuver against Western influence. Our expert panel will also analyze the devastating global economic impacts, including surging energy prices; disruptions to petrochemicals, nitrogen, and fertilizer supplies; and the severe strain on international shipping, supply chain, and food security. Finally, we will assess the failure of the highest-level U.S.-Iran negotiations in 50 years, the prospects for renewed negotiations, and the risks of a long regional war that could trigger a global economic recession.
Moderator:
- Dr. Abderrahim Foukara, Former Washington D.C. Bureau Chief and Host of Min Washington, Al Jazeera | Bio
Featured Speakers:
- H.E. Sheikh Nawaf bin Mubarak Al Thani, President, Council on International Mediation (CIM); Former Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché to the United States of America, Canada, and Mexico | Bio
- Dr. Amir Azar, Founder & CEO, AgentixEdge | Bio
- Dr. Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, Fellow for the Middle East, Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy; Co-Director, Middle East Energy Roundtable | Bio
- Dr. Bader Al-Saif, Assistant Professor, Kuwait University; Fellow, Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House); Non-Resident Fellow, The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington | Bio
- Dr. Fadi Hilani, Senior Academic and Research Fellow-in-Residence, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations | Bio