Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
Will Iran and the Middle East “rest in peace?” Iran sits at the center of one of the world’s most volatile regions. Its rivalry with Israel, tension with the United States, and influence across the Middle East—from proxy groups to strategic waterways—make it a pivotal player in both conflict and diplomacy. For more than 12 years, Ambassador Dennis Ross played a leading role in U.S. involvement in the Middle East peace process. He was instrumental in assisting Israel and Palestine reach the 1995 Interim Agreements and in brokering the 1997 Hebron Accord. He served Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama and is currently the William Davidson Distinguished Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and teaches at Georgetown University’s Center for Jewish Civilization.
In this special program, Ambassador Ross helps us understand the current status of conflict in the Middle East, the context in which it arose, the key players and where it may go from here. The prospects for diplomacy in the Middle East are neither hopeless nor guaranteed. As Ross’s career reflects, progress often comes not from sweeping breakthroughs, but from patient, incremental agreements built in the narrow space between pressure and possibility.
The program will be moderated by veteran foreign correspondent and Emmy-award winning journalist Greg Dobbs who, as a foreign correspondent for ABC News, provided coverage in more than 80 countries around the world, many of them in the Middle East.
About the Speakers
Dennis Ross is a veteran American diplomat and Middle East policy expert who has served multiple U.S. presidents and played a central role in U.S. peace efforts in the region. He has served as a Middle East envoy and negotiator, held senior national security roles, and is a distinguished fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. He is also an author and educator whose work focuses on diplomacy, strategy, Israel, Iran, and the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Greg Dobbs is an American journalist and longtime foreign correspondent who has reported extensively from the Middle East and other major international conflict zones. His firsthand experience in the region informs this discussion with Ross about diplomacy, war, political leadership, and the consequences of U.S. foreign policy.
Ross argues that military power alone cannot deliver a durable outcome. Strategy requires understanding what an adversary will do next, integrating force with diplomacy, and turning battlefield gains into achievable political objectives. He also explains why Iran’s internal economic and political contradictions may ultimately prove more consequential than its outward displays of strength.
If you value in-depth conversations on foreign policy, diplomacy, Israel, Iran, and the future of the Middle East, subscribe and share this discussion.
Chapters
Approximate chapter timing based on transcript flow; adjust against the final video timeline before publishing.
0:00 Introduction to Dennis Ross
3:00 Can Diplomacy End the Iran War?
8:00 How Iran Negotiates
13:30 The Iran Nuclear Deal Explained
19:30 Iran’s Growing Internal Crisis
26:00 Why Iran Wants the War to Continue
31:30 The Strait of Hormuz Problem
38:00 Does Iran Still Want a Nuclear Weapon?
43:30 America’s Biggest Strategic Mistakes
51:00 Could Iran Bring the House Down?
57:30 Is the Iranian Regime Actually Weaker?
1:03:00 U.S. Relations With Israel and Palestinians
1:10:00 Why a Two-State Solution Is So Difficult
1:17:00 Henry Kissinger Behind the Scenes
1:22:00 Israel, Arab States and the “23-State Solution”
1:28:00 Could an “Iranian Gorbachev” Emerge?
1:32:00 Israel’s Role in Future Iran Negotiations
1:36:00 Final Thoughts
#Iran #MiddleEast #DennisRoss #Israel #Geopolitics
Will Iran and the Middle East “rest in peace?” Iran sits at the center of one of the world’s most volatile regions. Its rivalry with Israel, tension with the United States, and influence across the Middle East—from proxy groups to strategic waterways—make it a pivotal player in both conflict and diplomacy. For more than 12 years, Ambassador Dennis Ross played a leading role in U.S. involvement in the Middle East peace process. He was instrumental in assisting Israel and Palestine reach the 1995 Interim Agreements and in brokering the 1997 Hebron Accord. He served Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama and is currently the William Davidson Distinguished Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and teaches at Georgetown University’s Center for Jewish Civilization.
In this special program, Ambassador Ross helps us understand the current status of conflict in the Middle East, the context in which it arose, the key players and where it may go from here. The prospects for diplomacy in the Middle East are neither hopeless nor guaranteed. As Ross’s career reflects, progress often comes not from sweeping breakthroughs, but from patient, incremental agreements built in the narrow space between pressure and possibility.
The program will be moderated by veteran foreign correspondent and Emmy-award winning journalist Greg Dobbs who, as a foreign correspondent for ABC News, provided coverage in more than 80 countries around the world, many of them in the Middle East.
About the Speakers
Dennis Ross is a veteran American diplomat and Middle East policy expert who has served multiple U.S. presidents and played a central role in U.S. peace efforts in the region. He has served as a Middle East envoy and negotiator, held senior national security roles, and is a distinguished fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. He is also an author and educator whose work focuses on diplomacy, strategy, Israel, Iran, and the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Greg Dobbs is an American journalist and longtime foreign correspondent who has reported extensively from the Middle East and other major international conflict zones. His firsthand experience in the region informs this discussion with Ross about diplomacy, war, political leadership, and the consequences of U.S. foreign policy.
Ross argues that military power alone cannot deliver a durable outcome. Strategy requires understanding what an adversary will do next, integrating force with diplomacy, and turning battlefield gains into achievable political objectives. He also explains why Iran’s internal economic and political contradictions may ultimately prove more consequential than its outward displays of strength.
If you value in-depth conversations on foreign policy, diplomacy, Israel, Iran, and the future of the Middle East, subscribe and share this discussion.
Chapters
Approximate chapter timing based on transcript flow; adjust against the final video timeline before publishing.
0:00 Introduction to Dennis Ross
3:00 Can Diplomacy End the Iran War?
8:00 How Iran Negotiates
13:30 The Iran Nuclear Deal Explained
19:30 Iran’s Growing Internal Crisis
26:00 Why Iran Wants the War to Continue
31:30 The Strait of Hormuz Problem
38:00 Does Iran Still Want a Nuclear Weapon?
43:30 America’s Biggest Strategic Mistakes
51:00 Could Iran Bring the House Down?
57:30 Is the Iranian Regime Actually Weaker?
1:03:00 U.S. Relations With Israel and Palestinians
1:10:00 Why a Two-State Solution Is So Difficult
1:17:00 Henry Kissinger Behind the Scenes
1:22:00 Israel, Arab States and the “23-State Solution”
1:28:00 Could an “Iranian Gorbachev” Emerge?
1:32:00 Israel’s Role in Future Iran Negotiations
1:36:00 Final Thoughts
#Iran #MiddleEast #DennisRoss #Israel #Geopolitics
