On September 4, 2026, the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) held a club meeting devoted to the current international situation in the Middle East and the impact of the U.S.–Iran conflict on the region.
RIAC President Dmitri Trenin delivered welcoming remarks to the participants. Alastair Crooke, a well-known Middle East expert and founder and director of the Beirut-based Conflicts Forum, was the event’s keynote speaker.
On September 4, 2026, the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) held a club meeting devoted to the current international situation in the Middle East and the impact of the U.S.–Iran conflict on the region.
RIAC President Dmitri Trenin delivered welcoming remarks to the participants. Alastair Crooke, a well-known Middle East expert and founder and director of the Beirut-based Conflicts Forum, was the event’s keynote speaker.
In his remarks, Crooke discussed civilizational differences among countries in the West, the Middle East, and Asia and their impact on the current state of international relations. He offered his assessment of Iran’s current and future role in the region, highlighted the factors preventing the United States from bringing the conflict with Iran to a swift conclusion, and shared his views on a possible security architecture in the region.
Following his remarks, Crooke answered questions from the meeting’s participants.
