Middle East Seminar

Two-toned burgundy graphic background with the name of the seminar in white on top

Date and Time

November 12, 2026
04:00PM - 06:30PM EST

Location

CGIS Knafel, Bowie-Vernon Room (K262)

The Iran War and the Strait of Hormuz: Rethinking the Future of Energy Politics

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz during the war exposed the fragility of global energy markets and the strategic risks of relying on concentrated maritime routes. Beyond its immediate economic and security consequences, the crisis raises a larger question: will states now diversify their supply routes, invest in alternative infrastructure, and deepen regional connectivity to reduce their exposure to vulnerable chokepoints? This panel examines how the war may reshape energy security strategies, regional alignments, and the relationship between infrastructure and geopolitical power. Panelists will consider the prospects for new overland corridors linking the Gulf to the Mediterranean and European markets, as well as the implications for regional cooperation and the future of the international energy order.

Speakers

  • Dania Arayassi, Assistant Director, New Lines Institute.
  • Hamad Althunayyan, Research Fellow, Middle East Initiative, Harvard Kennedy School.
  • Sultan Alamer, Senior Research Fellow, Middle East Policy Council; Associate, Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Harvard University.

Contact

Liz Flanagan
eaf073@fas.harvard.edu

Presented by the WCFIA/CMES Middle East Seminar and the New Lines Institute.

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