The Internaitional Affairs Forum Presents: Iran, Middle East Instability & National Security

Middle East instability directly shapes American foreign policy, economic stability, and domestic security. As Washington attempts to pivot focus toward Great Power competition with China and Russia, recurring regional crises continue pulling military, intelligence, and diplomatic assets back into the region. Recent developments—such as the August 2026 Mecca Joint Defence Agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan—signal a profound shift toward regional self-reliance and collective deterrence. This evolving security architecture reshapes long-standing U.S. alliances, influences global energy corridors, and complicates Washington's efforts to counter Iran's proxy networks, drone proliferation, and gray-zone cyber tactics.

Join the International Affairs Forum for an insider perspective with national security expert Javed Ali, former Senior Director for Counterterrorism at the National Security Council and former intelligence analyst with the FBI and DIA. Drawing on his experience from field operations to the White House Situation Room, Ali will analyze how shifting Middle East power dynamics, proxy warfare, and new regional pacts disrupt global strategy and impact U.S. national security at home and abroad.