Iran, the Middle East and the Possibilities of Diplomacy with Ambassador Dennis Ross
Will Iran and the Middle East “rest in peace?” Iran sits at the center of one of the world’s most volatile regions. Its rivalry with Israel, tension with the United States, and influence across the Middle East—from proxy groups to strategic waterways—make it a pivotal player in both conflict and diplomacy. For more than 12 years, Ambassador Dennis Ross played a leading role in U.S. involvement in the Middle East peace process. He was instrumental in assisting Israel and Palestine reach the 1995 Interim Agreements and in brokering the 1997 Hebron Accord. He served Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama and is currently the William Davidson Distinguished Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and teaches at Georgetown University’s Center for Jewish Civilization.
In this special program, Ambassador Ross helps us understand the current status of conflict in the Middle East, the context in which it arose, the key players and where it may go from here. The prospects for diplomacy in the Middle East are neither hopeless nor guaranteed. As Ross’s career reflects, progress often comes not from sweeping breakthroughs, but from patient, incremental agreements built in the narrow space between pressure and possibility.
The program will be moderated by veteran foreign correspondent and Emmy-award winning journalist Greg Dobbs who, as a foreign correspondent for ABC News, provided coverage in more than 80 countries around the world, many of them in the Middle East.
Recommended reading available at The Bookworm in Edwards:
“Statecraft 2.0: What America Needs to Lead in a Multipolar World” by Dennis Ross.
