Russia and Iran are collaborating more closely than ever in the areas of fighter jets and lethal drones, according to US intelligence. Moscow has rebuked Washington’s assessment, as the invasion of Ukraine presses on. The Biden administration has now embarked on a broad effort to halt Iran’s ability to produce and deliver drones to Russia for use in the war in Ukraine, an endeavor that has echoes of its yearslong program to cut off Tehran’s access to nuclear technology. Are there any regional repercussions for growing bilateral rapport between both powers on regional security? Will Hezbollah get involved? What are the implications of a possible involvement on Lebanon and its relations with its Arab neighbors.
Speakers
– Hanin Ghaddar, Friedmann Fellow at The Washington Institute Geduld Program on Arab Politics
– H.E. James Jeffrey, Former ambassador to Iraq and Turkey, and Special Envoy to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS.
– Alex Vatanka, Director of the Iran Program at the Middle East Institute