Axis of Tension: Israel–Iran Conflict Explained | Usanas Foundation

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The opinions expressed in the video belong to the speakers of the panel and not necessarily to Usanas Foundation.

As the tectonic plates of West Asia shift, the enduring hostility between Israel and Iran is emerging as the defining axis of regional instability. In this thought-provoking panel discussion hosted by the Usanas Foundation, leading experts decode the deeper implications of this geopolitical rivalry and ask urgent questions about the next chapter of West Asia’s future. From Tehran’s regional ambitions and Israel’s evolving threat perceptions to the roles of external powers and the volatility in proxy battlegrounds like Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq, this conversation navigates the highly combustible landscape shaping the fate of the Middle East.

Amid normalization efforts like the Abraham Accords and Iran's tightening ties with Russia and China, the contours of conflict and cooperation are becoming harder to read. The panel engages with the pressing question: Are we witnessing a cold war turning hot in the heart of West Asia? With multiple states hedging between competing powers, the discussion sheds light on whether a strategic equilibrium is still possible—or if the region is destined for a prolonged and more dangerous phase of realignment.

Speaker Introduction:

Burzine Waghmar
Senior Fellow at the Usanas Foundation and academic at the Centre for Iranian Studies, SOAS, University of London, Burzine Waghmar brings a unique depth of expertise on Iranian politics, regional history, and geopolitical strategy.

Dr. Gedaliah Afterman
Head of the Asia–Israel Policy Program at the Abba Eban Institute for Diplomacy and Foreign Relations and lecturer at Reichman University and Tel Aviv University, Dr. Afterman offers deep insight into Israel’s foreign policy strategy in Asia and the Middle East.

Dr. Michael Barak
Senior Researcher at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism and lecturer at Reichman University, Dr. Barak specializes in radical movements and the ideological threats emerging in the Israel-Iran equation.

Dr. Abhinav Pandya
Founder and CEO of the Usanas Foundation, Dr. Pandya is a political analyst with deep knowledge of India’s foreign policy, regional strategy, and emerging security challenges in West Asia and beyond.

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