The World Affairs Council of Orange County invites you to Inside Iran: Context for Today’s Global Tensions, a timely and in-depth webinar examining the historical, political, and geopolitical dynamics shaping the current tensions between Iran, Israel, the United States, and the broader Middle East region. As headlines continue to focus on escalating tensions and uncertainty, this discussion aims to provide critical background, regional context, and informed analysis to help audiences better understand the roots of today’s challenges and their global implications.

The conversation will feature Nooshan Shekarabi, Professor and Chair of Political Science at Santiago Canyon College, whose expertise in Comparative Politics, International Relations, and Human Rights is deeply informed by both academic scholarship and personal experience growing up in Iran during the Iranian Revolution and Iran–Iraq War. Joining her is Giorgio Cafiero, CEO of Gulf State Analytics and a leading geopolitical analyst specializing in Gulf affairs and regional security. Together, they will explore Iran’s political landscape, regional power dynamics, U.S.–Iran relations, the role of Israel in the current crisis, and the broader implications for diplomacy, security, and international stability.