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Thursday, September 10, 2026
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. / Eastern Time
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Background and Context
The U.S.-Iran relationship risks creating a new status quo of intermittent violence and sustained economic belligerence and global hardship.
As the Iran war and evolving stalemate reshape the strategic landscape of the Middle East, Washington and Tehran face renewed confrontation over Iran’s nuclear program, regional influence, economic and energy security, and the future of the regional order.
Once again, the United States is turning to increased economic pressure as a central instrument of its strategy. It now threatens sanctions on Iran’s trading partners as well as any private entities that provide Iran a lifeline.
- What are the strategic objectives behind Washington’s renewed pressure campaign, and what are the prospects that economic coercion can achieve its intended goals?
- How is Iran responding—politically, economically, and strategically—to the combination of military confrontation and mounting economic pressure?
- What new pressures exist on key actors in the U.S., Iran, the Gulf, and the globe, and who will buckle first?
Join us for our latest timely conversation examining the ever-shifting conflict and its implications for regional security, energy markets, and U.S. foreign policy, featuring leading, award-winning Gulf analysts Negar Mortazavi, Phillip Cornell, and Kristian Coates Ulrichsen.
Together, the panelists will assess the conflict from strategic, economic, energy, and journalistic perspectives, examining what comes next for U.S.-Iran relations—and what is at stake for the wider world.
Welcoming and Introduction:
- Dr. William Lawrence, Senior Academic and Research Fellow-in-Residence, National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations | 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:
- Mr. Phillip Cornell, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council | Bio
- Ms. Negar Mortazavi, Editor and Host, Iran Podcast, Senior Fellow, Center for International Policy | 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