Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Donald Trump’s decision to initiate war against Iran threatens to reshape the Middle East’s strategic landscape and force difficult recalculations in Tehran and beyond. How is this war reverberating across the region—and is there a viable path to de-escalation?
This webinar examined how key Arab states are navigating the crisis—balancing security concerns, domestic pressures, and shifting alliances—while also exploring Tehran’s calculations as the war is increasingly reducing Trump’s options and leverage. What are Tehran’s objectives, constraints, and red lines? How is the new leadership in Tehran weighing escalation versus restraint? And crucially, what diplomatic or political off-ramps might exist to end the conflict before it spirals further?
QI held a conversation with Maria Luisa Fantappiè, head of the "Mediterranean, Middle East and Africa" program at the Italian Institute for International Affairs, Professor Bader Al-Saif of Kuwait University, and Professor Hassan Ahmadian of Tehran University. Trita Parsi, executive vice president at the Quincy Institute, moderated.
*Download the full webinar transcript here*:
quincyinst-2.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/31161903/War-in-Iran_-Regional-Shockwaves-and-the-Search-for-an-Exit.docx.pdf
Donald Trump’s decision to initiate war against Iran threatens to reshape the Middle East’s strategic landscape and force difficult recalculations in Tehran and beyond. How is this war reverberating across the region—and is there a viable path to de-escalation?
This webinar examined how key Arab states are navigating the crisis—balancing security concerns, domestic pressures, and shifting alliances—while also exploring Tehran’s calculations as the war is increasingly reducing Trump’s options and leverage. What are Tehran’s objectives, constraints, and red lines? How is the new leadership in Tehran weighing escalation versus restraint? And crucially, what diplomatic or political off-ramps might exist to end the conflict before it spirals further?
QI held a conversation with Maria Luisa Fantappiè, head of the "Mediterranean, Middle East and Africa" program at the Italian Institute for International Affairs, Professor Bader Al-Saif of Kuwait University, and Professor Hassan Ahmadian of Tehran University. Trita Parsi, executive vice president at the Quincy Institute, moderated.
*Download the full webinar transcript here*:
quincyinst-2.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/31161903/War-in-Iran_-Regional-Shockwaves-and-the-Search-for-an-Exit.docx.pdf
