Uploaded September 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
China, Iran and the Future Balance of Power
Vincent Cable, Sanam Vakil and Martin Wolf in conversation with Navtej Sarna
As old certainties fade and new alignments emerge, the global balance of power is being reshaped in real time. Vincent Cable, Sanam Vakil, Martin Wolf and Navtej Sarna examine China’s rise, Iran’s strategic positioning, and the shifting dynamics challenging Western dominance in an increasingly multipolar world.
Vincent Cable is a former Secretary of State in the UK Coalition Government, where he served in roles including Trade and Business. He was also Leader of the Liberal Democrat Party. He is now a Visiting Professor at the London School of Economics (LSE), the University of Nottingham, and Shenzhen University, and serves as Chair of renewable energy companies. He is the author of Eclipsing the West: The Chinese Conundrum, Money and Power, The Storm, Open Arms, and How to Be a Politician.
Sanam Vakil is the Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House. A leading expert on Iranian and Gulf politics, regional security and US foreign policy, her work examines the evolving strategic landscape of the Middle East and its global intersections. She leads research on Gulf security, Iran’s regional ambitions, governance reform, women’s empowerment and climate-linked socio-economic challenges, while offering strategic insight into Western policy priorities and the growing influence of China and Russia across the region.
Martin Wolf is Associate Editor and Chief Economics Commentator at the Financial Times, London. Awarded the CBE in 2000 for services to financial journalism, he received the 2019 Gerald Loeb Lifetime Achievement Award, America’s premier honour in business journalism. His most recent book, The Crisis of Democratic Capitalism, examines the future of global democracy and markets.
Navtej Sarna is a distinguished diplomat and acclaimed author who has served as India’s Ambassador to the United States, High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, and Ambassador to Israel. His distinguished diplomatic career also includes senior roles as Secretary to the Government of India and Foreign Office Spokesperson. Sarna is the author of celebrated novels, including Crimson Spring, The Exile, and We Weren’t Lovers Like That, alongside notable works of non-fiction and translation. A prolific columnist and commentator, he is widely respected for his contributions to literature, diplomacy, and foreign policy discourse.
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China, Iran and the Future Balance of Power
Vincent Cable, Sanam Vakil and Martin Wolf in conversation with Navtej Sarna
As old certainties fade and new alignments emerge, the global balance of power is being reshaped in real time. Vincent Cable, Sanam Vakil, Martin Wolf and Navtej Sarna examine China’s rise, Iran’s strategic positioning, and the shifting dynamics challenging Western dominance in an increasingly multipolar world.
Vincent Cable is a former Secretary of State in the UK Coalition Government, where he served in roles including Trade and Business. He was also Leader of the Liberal Democrat Party. He is now a Visiting Professor at the London School of Economics (LSE), the University of Nottingham, and Shenzhen University, and serves as Chair of renewable energy companies. He is the author of Eclipsing the West: The Chinese Conundrum, Money and Power, The Storm, Open Arms, and How to Be a Politician.
Sanam Vakil is the Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House. A leading expert on Iranian and Gulf politics, regional security and US foreign policy, her work examines the evolving strategic landscape of the Middle East and its global intersections. She leads research on Gulf security, Iran’s regional ambitions, governance reform, women’s empowerment and climate-linked socio-economic challenges, while offering strategic insight into Western policy priorities and the growing influence of China and Russia across the region.
Martin Wolf is Associate Editor and Chief Economics Commentator at the Financial Times, London. Awarded the CBE in 2000 for services to financial journalism, he received the 2019 Gerald Loeb Lifetime Achievement Award, America’s premier honour in business journalism. His most recent book, The Crisis of Democratic Capitalism, examines the future of global democracy and markets.
Navtej Sarna is a distinguished diplomat and acclaimed author who has served as India’s Ambassador to the United States, High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, and Ambassador to Israel. His distinguished diplomatic career also includes senior roles as Secretary to the Government of India and Foreign Office Spokesperson. Sarna is the author of celebrated novels, including Crimson Spring, The Exile, and We Weren’t Lovers Like That, alongside notable works of non-fiction and translation. A prolific columnist and commentator, he is widely respected for his contributions to literature, diplomacy, and foreign policy discourse.
Follow us on –
Website - jlflitfest.org
Facebook - facebook.com/JLFInternational
YouTube - youtube.com/@JLFInternational
Instagram - instagram.com/jlfinternational
X - twitter.com/JLFLitfestFollow us on –
#china #iran
