Rethinking the US Response to Iran's Levers of Destabilizing Regional Influence

With Israel intent on neutralizing Hezbollah in Lebanon, the balance of power in the Middle East is beginning to shift, which will have long-term implications for regional security, stability, and US interests. But Iran is doing what it can to preserve and expand the bases of power and control it had built up in various key Middle Eastern countries, which, besides Lebanon, include Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and the Palestinian territories. To successfully navigate the changing geostrategic equilibrium and help shape a new, less conflict-prone security architecture for the region, the United States will need to advance a fundamentally reconceptualized strategy - one that works with local allies to address the network of Tehran’s regional proxies as well as implement a multi-faceted policy response to the various political, economic, and informational levers of influence that Iran uses to destabilize its neighborhood. The upcoming panel will explore Iran’s role and influence in the region as well as examine options for a calibrated US and regional response that can more effectively deconflict and stabilize a Middle East in flux.
The assembled scholars will address the following questions and more: What can the United States do to work with partners in Lebanon to address the role Iran and Hezbollah play inside the country? How can the United States advance a new multilateral Syria strategy that addresses Iranian power and influence over Bashar al-Assad’s regime? How can Washington help resolve the Yemeni civil war in a way that eliminates the threat posed by the Tehran- backed Houthis? What are the areas of cooperation between the US and Iraq that could help reduce the various Iraqi dependencies on Iran?
Speakers
Nadwa Al-Dawsari
Non-Resident Scholar, Middle East Institute
Robert S. Ford
Senior Fellow, Middle East Institute
Charles Lister
Senior Fellow, Director of the Syria and Countering Terrorism & Extremism Program, Middle East Institute
Paul Salem
Vice President for International Engagement, Middle East Institute
Patricia Karam (Moderator)
Non-Resident Scholar, Senior Advisor, Middle East Institute