The Atlantic Council’s Iran Task Force and Rafik Hariri Center, held a joint public briefing on Iran’s influence in the Levant on December 14.
Violence continues in Syria despite pressure from the Arab League and the international community for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down. As countries such as Jordan and Turkey take the first steps to speak out against the al-Assad regime, Iran will have to consider losing its only Arab ally in the region. Could the fall of al-Assad weaken Hezbollah or destabilize the region further?
Panelists examined Iran’s changing role in the Levant, challenges posed to local armed forces, and the political future of the region. They also discussed how Iran’s relations with Syria and Lebanon have been impacted by the Arab Spring.
The Iran Task Force, co-chaired by Atlantic Council Chairman Senator Chuck Hagel and Ambassador Stuart E. Eizenstat, seeks to perform a comprehensive analysis of Iran’s internal political landscape, its role in the region and globally, and any basis for an improved relationship with the West.
A discussion with
Aram Nerguizian
Visiting Fellow
Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
Randa Slim
Scholar
Middle East Institute
Mona Yacoubian
Senior Advisor and Middle East Project Director
Stimson Center
Moderated by
Michele Dunne
Director
Rafik Hariri Center, Atlantic Council
Barbara Slavin
Senior Fellow
South Asia Center, Atlantic Council