As events continue to unfold in the wake of Israel’s strike on Iranian nuclear facilities and Iran's counterstrikes, please join the Middle East Institute (MEI) for an on-the-record briefing to assess the broader strategic and diplomatic implications of the crisis.
This session will feature expert insight from former senior military and diplomatic officials with decades of experience shaping and implementing US policy in the Middle East. The panel will explore potential trajectories for the conflict, implications for US and allied interests, and prospects for de-escalation.
Speakers
Alan Eyre
Distinguished Diplomatic Fellow, Middle East Institute
Alan Eyre is a former senior US diplomat and Iran expert who served as the State Department’s first Persian Language Spokesperson and as a core member of the US negotiating team for the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. He led key regional offices and advised on US policy toward Iran for over two decades.
Amb. Barbara A. Leaf
Distinguished Diplomatic Fellow, Middle East Institute
Ambassador Leaf served as Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs from 2022 to 2025, where she shaped US diplomacy across the Middle East and advised Secretary Blinken on post-Oct. 7 Israel-Gaza crisis response. She previously served as US Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and as Director of the State Department’s Office of Iranian Affairs.
Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie, Jr., USMC (Ret.)
Distinguished Military Fellow, Middle East Institute
Gen. McKenzie served as Commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), where he oversaw US military operations across the Middle East. His four-decade Marine Corps career included combat leadership in Afghanistan and Iraq and senior strategic roles at the Pentagon and on the Joint Staff.
Ken Pollack (moderator)
Vice President for Policy, 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.