The Middle East on Edge: What’s Next for Iran, Israel, and the Region
Security and Middle East policy experts discuss the Iran-Israel conflict, the current ceasefire, and the status of Iran's nuclear program.
Jul
29
Ariel Schalit / AP
About the Event
The Middle East conflict recently entered a new phase, with Iran and Israel engaging in direct military confrontation. The US bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities marked a marked escalation, but a fragile ceasefire has since been established. Will this US-brokered ceasefire hold? Can, and will, Iran rebuild its nuclear capabilities? What are the broader implications of this war for regional stability, US strategy, and global security? Join Rachel Bronson, Robert Pape, and Ali Vaez for a discussion moderated by Council President and CEO Leslie Vinjamuri on the latest developments in this conflict and their broader implications.
About the Speakers
Senior Advisor, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
Rachel Bronson is a senior advisor at the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. She previously served as the organization's president and CEO, overseeing its programming, publishing, communications, and iconic Doomsday Clock. Prior, Bronson served as the vice president of studies at the Chicago Council.
Professor of Political Science, University of Chicago
Robert Pape is a professor of political science at the University of Chicago, specializing in national and international security affairs. He directs the Chicago Project on Security and Terrorism and focuses on air power, political violence, terrorism, and US national security policy.
Senior Adviser to the President & Project Director, Iran, International Crisis Group
Ali Vaez is the director of the Iran Project and senior adviser to the president at the International Crisis Group. Previously, he served as a senior political affairs officer at the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and was Iran project director at the Federation of American Scientists.
President & Chief Executive Officer, Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Dr. Leslie Vinjamuri joined the Council in 2025 as the president and chief executive officer, after previously serving as director of the US and the Americas program at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, known as Chatham House, in London. She brings more than 20 years of experience working at the intersection of international affairs, research, policy, and public engagement.