Iran, ISIS, and the Future of Gulf Security

The rise of a virulent new form of terrorist threat, embodied in the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) has focused attention again on the security of the Persian Gulf Region. The ISIS phenomenon, however, cannot be decoupled from the broader politics of the region. With sectarian tensions high, the Iranian role in Iraq is coming under renewed scrutiny at the same time as Iran and the P5+1 are negotiating over its nuclear program. Energy prices are at multi-year lows, enhancing the leverage generated by robust sanctions, and increasing—if marginally—the chances for a comprehensive agreement. What will the security environment of the Gulf look like over the next year? What role can the U.S. government play in the security architecture of the region, working with its allies to protect against both the terrorism threat and regional adversaries? And, perhaps most important, in a future scenario in which the P5+1 reaches a deal with Iran and sanctions are fully or partially lifted, will Iran be able to integrate itself into the security architecture of the region?

Speaker

William Fallon (Ret.) Former Commander, US Central Command, United States Navy

Suzanne Maloney Senior Fellow, Saban Center for Middle East Policy, Brookings Institution

Elizabeth Rosenberg Senior Fellow and Director of the Energy, Economics and Security Program, Center for a New American Security

Steven Simon Senior Fellow, The Middle East Institute

Moderated by

Zachary Goldman Executive Director, Center on Law and Security, NYU School of Law

 

Moderated by

• Zachary Goldman, Executive Director, Center on Law and Security, NYU School of Law

In Collaboration with