Contributor(s): Dr Dana H. Allin, Dr Anahita Motazed Rad, Dr Sanam Vakil | This event will examine how a second Trump administration might reshape U.S.-Iran relations and regional security—whether through renewed maximum pressure, diplomatic engagement, or military action to contain Iran’s nuclear and military ambitions.

The Middle East that Donald Trump left in 2021 is vastly different from the one he re-enters in 2025. Since October 7, the region’s strategic landscape has shifted dramatically, leaving Iran at its weakest and most isolated position since 1979. Economic turmoil, internal dissent, and regional setbacks—amid mounting U.S. and Israeli pressure—have further exposed Tehran’s vulnerabilities.