Click Here to Watch LIVE on YouTube
Wednesday February 11, 2026
10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. / Eastern Time
Registration is NOT REQUIRED to view the program.
Submit questions to the specialists: questions@ncusar.org
Background and Context
This webinar convenes leading analysts and practitioners from the Arabian Gulf, the broader Middle East, and the United States to examine the evolving strategic environment shaped by intensifying frictions between Washington and Tehran. The discussion will explore the dynamics of military signaling, diplomatic maneuvering, and regional alignments, assessing how these factors interact to influence stability, deterrence, and the prospects for confrontation or restraint. By integrating regional insights with U.S. policy perspectives, the session seeks to offer a refined and forward-looking appraisal of the implications for regional security, energy markets, and the wider international order.
Moderator:
- Dr. Amin Tarzi, Adjunct Professor of International Relations and Government, Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University | Bio
Featured Speakers:
- H.E. Sheikh Nawaf bin Mubarak Al Thani, President, Council on International Mediation (CIM) | Bio
- Dr. Joseph Kechichian, Senior Research Fellow at the Office of the Chairman, King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, Riyadh | Bio
- Dr. Kenneth Katzman, Senior Fellow, The Soufan Center; Formerly with Congressional Research Services | Bio
- Dr. Abbas Kadhim, Senior Resident Scholar & Director of the Iraq Program, Arab Gulf States Institute | Bio