Iranian Power and Influence in the Middle East: The Impact of Israeli Military Achievements and Trump Administration Policy

Prior to October 7, 2023, Iranian-sponsored terrorism and influence in the Middle East was pervasive and insidious, growing ever more dangerous as it inched its way to nuclear weapons and threatened Israeli and U.S. interests in the region. While Iran continues to pose an existential threat to Israel and edges closer to producing nuclear weapons, Israel’s military achievements post-10/7, along with Donald Trump’s win and foreign policy objectives, have significantly diminished the Islamic Republic’s ability to project power. The targeted assassinations of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, the destruction of much of both terrorist organizations’ infrastructure in Gaza and Lebanon, and Israel’s direct attacks on Iran have all significantly reduced the Mullahs’ ability to achieve their goal of establishing an Islamic hegemon and Shia crescent from Iran to the Mediterranean Sea, including a “ring of fire” surrounding Israel.

Iran’s capacity to threaten Israel and the West in light of these setbacks will be our topic for discussion on the Middle East Forum’s premier episode of a new monthly webinar series featuring internationally-recognized experts and hosted by Lauri Regan. Join us this week for an all-star panel featuring Behnam Ben Taleblu, Gabriel Noronha, and Michael Rubin.

Lauri B. Regan serves as the vice president, treasurer, and board member of Scholars for Peace in the Middle East and as a board member of Polaris National Security. She previously served as the New York chapter president and vice chair of the executive board of the Endowment for Middle East Truth.

Michael Rubin is the director of policy analysis at the Middle East Forum and a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

Gabriel Noronha is the executive director of Polaris National Security, and a fellow of the Gemunder Center for Defense and Strategy at the Jewish Institute for National Security in America (JINSA).

Behnam Ben-Taleblu is the senior director of the Iran Project and a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

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