Unpacking the Iran war and what to expect, Q&A with an expert

A conversation with Heidi Venamore PSM, Former Ambassador to the UAE and Jordan and Iran expert

Welcome to our March Private Roundtable, with the team behind Geopolitical Dispatch and a special guest.

Our Private Roundtables give Geopolitical Dispatch subscribers the opportunity to engage directly with our experts on their most important questions.

Consider subscribing to Geopolitical Dispatch to attend these monthly events, and to access a transcript of part of the conversation—the second half of each Private Roundtable is off-the-record.

In today’s edition, we speakwith Heidi Venamore PSM, Senior Advisor at Geopolitical Strategy and former Australian Ambassador to the UAE and Jordan, diplomat in Iraq, Israel and Afghanistan and experienced advisor to corporate leaders.

Heidi spent over 35 years in public service, more than half of it in the Middle East, and now advises clients across the Middle East, UK and Europe.

A transcript of our conversation between Heidi, Christian Habla, Michael Feller and Damien Bruckard follows.

TRANSCRIPT

Christian Habla

Good morning, good evening and welcome to this month’s Geopolitical Dispatch Private Roundtable, wherever you are in the world.

In this roundtable, we have a special guest, Geopolitical Strategy Senior Advisor Heidi Venamore. Heidi has extensive background in the region and interest in Iran. As well as working with Geopolitical Strategy clients across the Middle East, UK and Europe, Heidi was most recently Australia’s ambassador to the UAE, and previously Jordan. She has also served in Israel, Iraq and Afghanistan and has an almost unmatched insight into the region given unfolding events.

I am joined, of course, by my colleagues Michael Feller, Editor of Geopolitical Dispatch and Chief Strategist at Geopolitical Strategy, and Damien Bruckard, our Co-Founder.

As always, the first part of this Roundtable will see Heidi set out current events in Iran and what to watch, and will be followed by an off-the-the record conversation. Please think on your questions for the second half.

Without further ado, Heidi, could you please help set the scene of what is actually going on in Iran and the Middle East? What must we be aware of, watch for, and what do we really need to understand as events unfold?

Heidi Venamore:

Thanks very much, Christian, and it is great to be here with you and everybody on the call.

The conflict, which is only three days old, has been rather shocking for those across the region and beyond. And I think it has taken turns that perhaps even the Trump administration did not anticipate. It is in an escalatory phase. There are indications that a broadening of this conflict could occur, with a couple of additional states, such as the UAE or Saudi Arabia, potentially taking either military action or at least action that more intensively supports the US, and potentially even Israel in some cases.