The Middle East Institute (MEI) invites you to join an online discussion examining the rapidly escalating war involving Iran. Recent developments—including Israeli claims of targeting senior Iranian security officials and reported attacks on Iran’s Pars natural gas facility—underscore the widening scope of the conflict. Tehran, meanwhile, has rejected unconditional diplomacy amid mounting military pressure.
This webinar will assess where the conflict stands three weeks in and explore its implications for regional stability, global energy markets, and the broader international order. Speakers will be MEI Distinguished Military Fellow Mick Mulroy, a former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East, as well as energy expert MEI Senior Fellow Colby Connelly. The discussion will be moderated by the Institute’s Vice President for Policy, Ken Pollack.
Speakers
Michael “Mick” Mulroy is a Distinguished Military Fellow at the Middle East Institute and the former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for the Middle East. As the DASD, he was responsible for defense policy for 15 countries and represented the Department of Defense of national policy in that area. He is also a retired CIA Paramilitary Operations Officer in the Special Activities Center, a United States Marine, and a Co-founder of Lobo Institute.
Colby Connelly is a Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute, focusing on oil and gas markets, liquified natural gas (LNG), aboveground risk, corporate strategy, and the impact of the energy transition on oil- and gas-producing states. He is also the head of Middle East content and senior analyst at Energy Intelligence, where he works with the firm’s research and advisory practices.
Dr. Kenneth M. Pollack (Moderator) is Vice President for Policy at the Middle East Institute. Dr. Pollack began his career as a Persian Gulf military analyst at the CIA and served twice on the National Security Council, first as Director for Near East and South Asian affairs and then as Director for Persian Gulf affairs.
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