Click Here to Watch LIVE on YouTube
Thursday, June 4, 2026
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. / Eastern Time
Registration is NOT REQUIRED to view the program.
Submit questions to the specialists: questions@ncusar.org
Background and Context
The National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations is pleased to convene a distinguished panel of senior diplomats and regional experts to examine the rapidly evolving dynamics of U.S.-Iran relations, the situation in Lebanon, and the broader implications for Gulf Arab states and regional stability. The discussion will feature Ambassador Thomas R. Pickering, former U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs; H.E. Ambassador Amal Mudallali, former Permanent Representative of Lebanon to the United Nations; and Dr. Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, Fellow at Rice University’s Baker Institute and leading expert on the Gulf. The webinar will be moderated by Dr. Abderrahim Foukara, former Al Jazeera Bureau Chief for the Americas and NCUSAR Distinguished Fellow.
Building upon Ambassador Pickering’s recent peace proposal published in Foreign Affairs, the panel will assess ongoing tensions between the United States and Iran, the severe challenges facing Lebanon, and the strategic responses of Gulf states amid a period of significant regional uncertainty. The discussion will also place these developments within the wider context of changing global power dynamics, evolving energy markets, and shifting diplomatic alignments, offering valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities likely to shape the future of the Middle East.
Please review Ambassador Pickering’s proposal in Foreign Affairs, which can be found below:
Welcoming and Introduction:
- Dr. Fadi Hilani, Senior Academic and Research Fellow-in-Residence, Director of the Levant and Middle East Area Studies Program, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations | Bio
Keynote Remarks:
- Amb. (Ret.) Thomas R. Pickering, Vice Chair, Hills & Company; Former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (1997-2000); Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and Six Countries including Russia, Israel, and Jordan | Bio
Moderator:
- Dr. Abderrahim Foukara, Distinguished Fellow for U.S.-Arab Affairs and Media Leadership, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations; Former Washington D.C. Bureau Chief, Al Jazeera | Bio
Speakers:
- Amb. Amal Mudallali, Former Lebanese Permanent Representative to the United Nations; Visiting Research Scholar, Princeton University; Founder and CEO of Bridges International Group | 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