Renad Mansour and Sanam Vakil: Iranian Networks in the Middle East

On March 4, Jon Alterman spoke with Renad Mansour, senior research fellow and director of the Iraq Initiative at Chatham House, and Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa program at Chatham House, about the resilience of Iranian networks in the Middle East. Their discussion builds upon a recent Chatham House report Renad co-wrote on the topic. The following episode is a slightly condensed version of their conversation. You can find a link to the video of the complete discussion below. Transcript: "Renad Mansour and Sanam Vakil: Iranian Networks in the Middle East," CSIS, March 13, 2025. Video of the discussion: "Iranian Networks in the Middle East," CSIS, March 6, 2025. Renad's report: "The Shape-Shifting ‘Axis of Resistance’," Chatham House, March 6, 2025. Sanam and Jon's article: "The Indomitable IRGC," Foreign Affairs, August 15, 2024.

Om Podcasten

Babel will take you beyond the headlines to discuss what’s really happening in the Middle East and North Africa. It features regional experts who explain what’s going on, provide context on pivotal developments, and highlight trends you may have missed. Jon Alterman, senior vice president, Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy, and director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies hosts the podcast along with his colleagues from the Middle East Program. This podcast is made possible through the generous support of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates. All views, positions, and conclusions expressed here should be understood to be solely of those of the speaker(s).