The Middle East and the Ukraine war: energy supplies, nuclear deals and regional tensions

Mark Leonard is joined by the head of ECFR’s Middle East and North Africa programme Julien Barnes-Dacey, ECFR visiting fellow Cinzia Bianco, professor of political science at the University of Tehran Nasser Hadian, and founder and chair of the Gulf Research Center Abdulaziz Sager to analyse current developments in Gulf energy security and the Iran nuclear deal. On location at the Doha Forum 2022, they discuss questions like: following Western energy sanctions on Russia, why is there a reluctance in the Gulf states and the West to cooperate on energy supplies? Is the resurrection of the Iran nuclear deal tangible? And what role do sanctions on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and regional security threats such as the conflict in Yemen play in such decisions?

This podcast was recorded on 27 March 2022.

Further reading:

• Europe’s Russian energy dilemma by Cinzia Bianco, Jonathan Hackenbroich, Filip Medunic, & Pawel Zerka
• Order of engagement: Assad’s visit to Abu Dhabi by Julien Barney-Dacey & Cinzia Bianco
• Agreement and uncertainty: The Iran nuclear deal in a new global order by Esfandyar Batmanghelidj
• Balance of power: Gulf states, Russia, and European energy security by Cinzia Bianco

Bookshelf:

• Midday event: trace of blood film by Mohammad Hossein Mahdavian
• Establish geographic inclusivity in the Security Council” by Abdulaziz Sager
• The thick of it TV series
• A certain idea of France by Julian Jackson