Caption
Tech leaders sit as they testify before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on Capitol Hill on May 8, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Getty Images)
Caption
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (L-2) shakes hands with Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani (R-2) during the 21st Nationwide Assembly of the Islamic Revolution Guard. (Pool/Iranian Presidency Press Office/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
Hudson Institute will host an event to discuss the role of Iraq as tensions increase between the U.S. and Iran. Panelists will include Iraq Analyst Omar Al-Nidawi, the Arabia Foundation’s Geneive
Abdo, and the Atlantic Council’s Dr. Abbas Kadhim, with Hudson Senior Fellow Michael Pregent moderating.
As tensions continue to mount between the U.S. and Iran, Iraq is stuck in the middle of the escalation. The U.S. recently ordered State Department officials in Iraq to return home amid safety concerns arising from threats from Iranian-influenced actors. This followed a stern warning from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Iraqi leaders that if they are not going to stand with the U.S. against Iran, they should stand aside. Iran’s influence in Iraq is robust and presents significant challenges to U.S. strategic interests in the region.
**NOTE: This event is open to the press. All members of the media should RSVP to press@hudson.org.**
Related Events
12
February 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
Opportunity and Uncertainty in the Middle East: Next Steps for the Kurdistan Region of Iraq
Featured Speakers:
Rebar Ahmed
Joel Rayburn
12
February 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
Opportunity and Uncertainty in the Middle East: Next Steps for the Kurdistan Region of Iraq
Join Hudson for a deep dive into these topics with Interior Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government Rebar Ahmed, one of the region’s most experienced and respected statesmen.
Featured Speakers:
Rebar Ahmed
Joel Rayburn
13
February 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
A Strategic Response to Sino-Russian Cooperation: Perspectives from Europe and the Indo-Pacific
Featured Speakers:
Greg Brown
Patrick M. Cronin
Justyna Szczudlik
Moderator:
Masashi Murano
11
February 2026
Past Event
The National and Economic Security Implications of Fusion Energy
Featured Speakers:
Jimmy Goodrich
Keith LeChien
Jackie Siebens
Caleb Barnes
Trent Bauserman
Daniel B. Sinars
Shaun Walsh
Moderators:
Rebeccah L. Heinrichs
Nadia Schadlow
11
February 2026
Past Event
The National and Economic Security Implications of Fusion Energy
To examine the future of fusion and its geopolitical implications, Hudson will host a two-part event.
Featured Speakers:
Jimmy Goodrich
Keith LeChien
Jackie Siebens
Caleb Barnes
Trent Bauserman
Daniel B. Sinars
Shaun Walsh
Moderators:
Rebeccah L. Heinrichs
Nadia Schadlow
06
February 2026
Past Event
Davos, the Arctic, and Forging Transatlantic Unity: The Romanian View with Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu
Featured Speakers:
Oana Țoiu
Peter Rough
06
February 2026
Past Event
Davos, the Arctic, and Forging Transatlantic Unity: The Romanian View with Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu
Please join Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu as she returns to Hudson for a fireside chat with Center on Europe and Eurasia Director Peter Rough to take stock of the past year and anticipate what might lie ahead.
Featured Speakers:
Oana Țoiu
Peter Rough
Related Research
Caption
Chinese President Xi Jinping addresses the opening of a study session at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee National Academy of Governance on January 20, 2026. (Getty Images)
Caption
Soldiers assemble a Ukrainian GARA drone before a combat mission in the Pokrovsky direction, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, on January 23, 2026. (Getty Images)
Caption
An F/A-18E Super Hornet launches from the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea on January 28, 2026. (US Navy)
