Middle East

Fellows analyze the geopolitics of the Middle East, including issues related to energy security, sectarian violence, peace prospects between Israelis and Palestinians, and power rivalries in the Persian Gulf region. Fellows also assess the issue of nuclear proliferation, especially Iran’s ambitions for nuclear weapons and the West’s revival of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with leaders in Tehran.

The Iran Wars: History, Ideology, And Prospects For Peace
Today’s Battlegrounds With H.R. McMaster

Join Abbas Milani, Hoover research fellow and Hamid and Christina Moghadam Director of Iranian Studies at Stanford University, and Hoover senior fellow H.R. McMaster, as they discuss the Iran War, its effects on the Iranian people, the Iranian regime, and prospects for peace and security in the Middle East and beyond.

Reflecting on the war in Iran at this critical moment, Milani and McMaster discuss the conditions inside the country, the state of the regime, and the widening gap between society and the ruling system. They examine how power is exercised within an increasingly fragmented structure and whether the regime’s grip is weakening under internal pressure. The conversation explores possible futures for Iran and the broader Middle East, including the roles of major powers such as China and Russia, prospects for negotiations with the United States, and the importance of supporting the Iranian people. Milani highlights Iran's historical significance and the Hoover Institution's mission of scholarship and policy engagement in shaping the understanding of Iran and its future.

Recorded on April 21, 2026.

Who’s Actually Running Iran? With Abbas Milani

Who’s Actually Running Iran? With Abbas Milani

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Is Iran At The Tipping Point? With Shay Khatiri

How Israel Fights: Inside The Mossad With Zohar Palti

How Israel Fights: Inside The Mossad With Zohar Palti

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The Man Who Would Be King Of Saudi Arabia With Karen Elliott House

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The rising challenge posed by China’s active and expansionary foreign policy requires careful study and rebuttal. Its threat to long-standing norms of the liberal order are leading to pushback across the globe.

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Fellows examine major political, economic, and security challenges involving the European Union and the NATO alliance. Issues include the strength of NATO in the face of threats posed by Russia; the struggle to absorb millions of migrants fleeing conflict zones and poor living conditions in the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia; and debates within the EU on how to deal with challenges such as economic relief from the pandemic crisis, and access to affordable and reliable energy sources.

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